83_FR_38818 83 FR 38666 - Future Format of the National Drug Code; Public Hearing; Request for Comments

83 FR 38666 - Future Format of the National Drug Code; Public Hearing; Request for Comments

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 152 (August 7, 2018)

Page Range38666-38669
FR Document2018-16807

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) is announcing a public hearing and an opportunity for public comment on the future format of the National Drug Code (NDC). FDA is seeking input from a variety of stakeholders through comments and responses to FDA questions included in this notice and associated web content to be published ahead of the hearing. The questions are intended to allow FDA to obtain stakeholders' perspectives on the impact of any future changes made to the length and format of the NDC.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38666-38669]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16807]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 7, 2018 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 38666]]



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

21 CFR Part 15

[Docket No. FDA-2018-N-2610]


Future Format of the National Drug Code; Public Hearing; Request 
for Comments

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notification of public hearing; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) is 
announcing a public hearing and an opportunity for public comment on 
the future format of the National Drug Code (NDC). FDA is seeking input 
from a variety of stakeholders through comments and responses to FDA 
questions included in this notice and associated web content to be 
published ahead of the hearing. The questions are intended to allow FDA 
to obtain stakeholders' perspectives on the impact of any future 
changes made to the length and format of the NDC.

DATES: The public hearing will be held on November 5, 2018, from 8:30 
a.m. to 5 p.m. The hearing may be extended or end early depending on 
the level of public participation. Persons seeking to attend or present 
at the public hearing must register by October 15, 2018. Electronic or 
written comments will be accepted after the public hearing until 
January 5, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the FDA White Oak Campus, 
10903 New Hampshire Ave., Building 31 Conference Center, the Great Room 
(Rm. 1503 Section B and C), Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002. Entrance for 
the public hearing participants (non-FDA employees) is through Building 
1, where routine security check procedures will be performed. For 
parking and security information, please refer to https://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/WorkingatFDA/BuildingsandFacilities/WhiteOakCampusInformation/ucm241740.htm.
    You may submit comments as follows:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted 
electronically, including attachments, to https://www.regulations.gov 
will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be 
made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment 
does not include any confidential information that you or a third party 
may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone 
else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, 
such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your 
name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in 
the body of your comments, that information will be posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
     If you want to submit a comment with confidential 
information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, 
submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner 
detailed (see ``Written/Paper Submissions'' and ``Instructions'').

Written/Paper Submissions

    Submit written/paper submissions as follows:
     Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier (for written/paper 
submissions): Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
     For written/paper comments submitted to the Dockets 
Management Staff, FDA will post your comment, as well as any 
attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, 
as confidential, if submitted as detailed in ``Instructions.''
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No. 
FDA-2018-N-2610 for ``Future Format of the National Drug Code; Public 
Hearing; Request for Comments.'' Received comments, those filed in a 
timely manner (see DATES), will be placed in the docket and, except for 
those submitted as ``Confidential Submissions,'' publicly viewable at 
https://www.regulations.gov or at the Dockets Management Staff between 
9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
     Confidential Submissions--To submit a comment with 
confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly 
available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You 
should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information 
you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states 
``THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.'' The Agency will 
review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in 
its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the 
claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be 
available for public viewing and posted on https://www.regulations.gov. 
Submit both copies to the Dockets Management Staff. If you do not wish 
your name and contact information to be made publicly available, you 
can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body of 
your comments and you must identify this information as 
``confidential.'' Any information marked as ``confidential'' will not 
be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other 
applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of 
comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or 
access the information at: https://www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in 
the heading of this document, into the ``Search'' box and follow the 
prompts and/or go to the Dockets Management Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, 
Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leyla Rahjou-Esfandiary, Center for 
Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New 
Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 51, Rm. 2262, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-
3185, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 38667]]

I. Background

    The NDC is an FDA standard for uniquely identifying drugs in the 
United States. Currently, NDCs assigned by FDA contain 10 digits. As 
described in Sec.  207.33(b) (21 CFR 207.33(b)), NDCs consist of three 
segments: the labeler code, the product code, and the package code. At 
some point in the next 10 to 15 years, NDC formatting will need to be 
updated to accommodate longer NDCs because new labelers are continually 
entering the U.S. market. In 2016, when FDA published the 
``Requirements for Foreign and Domestic Establishment Registration and 
Listing for Human Drugs, Including Drugs That Are Regulated Under a 
Biologics License Application, and Animal Drugs, Final Rule'' FDA 
stated that when it runs out of 5-digit labeler codes, it will begin 
assigning 6-digit labeler codes. (81 FR 60170, August 31, 2016). As a 
result, FDA will add two new 11-digit NDC formats to accommodate the 
longer labeler codes. However, FDA acknowledged that some stakeholders 
expressed an interest in FDA moving to a single, standard format for 
NDCs and announced that it would initiate a public discussion of future 
formatting options (81 FR 60170 at 60187). Because of the widespread 
use and dependency on NDCs in prescribing, dispensing, reimbursement, 
safety, clinical management, supply chain management, and 
pharmaceutical manufacturing and labeling systems, the Agency is 
holding a public hearing and requesting comments from stakeholders on 
the impact of the transition to 6-digit labeler codes.
    Section 510 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) 
(21 U.S.C. 360) requires each registered drug establishment to provide 
FDA with a current list of all drugs manufactured, prepared, 
propagated, compounded, or processed by the establishment for 
commercial distribution. Drug products are identified and reported 
using the NDC.
    The NDC for each listed drug in the United States is a unique 10-
digit, 3-segment number. The 3 segments of NDC include the labeler 
code, product code, and package code. A labeler code is a unique 4-, 5-
, or (in the future) 6-digit number assigned by FDA that identifies the 
manufacturer, repacker, relabeler, or private label distributor of the 
drug. The second segment, the product code, identifies a specific 
strength, dosage form, and formulation of a drug manufactured, 
repackaged, relabeled, or distributed by the labeler. The third 
segment, the package code, identifies package sizes and types. 
Different package codes only differentiate between different 
quantitative and qualitative attributes of the product packaging. Both 
the product and package codes are proposed by persons submitting drug 
listing information. FDA will assign a proposed NDC if it has not been 
used previously, is not currently in use, and has not been reserved for 
future assignment to a different product. The NDC for a given drug is 
currently in one of the following configurations (with each number 
representing the number of digits in that segment): 4-4-2, 5-3-2, or 5-
4-1.
    According to current regulations, labeler codes may consist of 4, 
5, or 6 digits (Sec.  207.33(b)(1)). Currently, 5-digit labeler codes 
are being assigned by FDA. A 5-digit labeler code format provides FDA 
with 90,000 labeler codes that could be assigned to drug manufacturers 
and private label distributors ranging from 10,000 to 99,999. Based on 
current assignment rates, FDA anticipates that it will run out of 5-
digit labeler codes in approximately 15 years. FDA will begin assigning 
6-digit labeler codes at some point in the future due to exhaustion of 
5-digit labeler codes. Moving up to 6-digit labeler codes will expand 
NDCs to 11 digits and, per regulation, allows for two additional NDC 
configurations: 6-3-2 and 6-4-1, for a total of five possible NDC 
configurations (including the three 10-digit NDC configurations).
    The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 
(Pub. L. 104-191) contains provisions calling for the administrative 
simplification ``of the national standards for electronic health care 
transactions and code sets, unique health identifiers, and security'' 
\1\ and specifically references the NDC. In its implementation of these 
rules, in August 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) published a final rule on standards for electronic transactions 
that established NDC numbers as the standard medical data code set for 
reporting drugs and biologics in all standard transactions under HIPAA 
(65 FR 50312). If a HIPAA-covered transaction includes a drug, the NDC 
is required to be a part of the medical code data set (see 45 CFR 
subpart J 162.1002(a)(3)). However, in the preamble to the HIPAA 
regulations, HHS stated that it was adopting a uniform 11-digit format 
to conform with customary practice used in computer systems (65 FR 
50312 at 50329). The HIPAA standard 11-digit NDC format is standardized 
such that the labeler code is always 5 digits, the product code is 
always 4 digits, and the package code always 2 digits. To convert a 10-
digit NDC to an 11-digit HIPAA standard NDC, a leading zero is added to 
the appropriate segment to create the 11-digit configuration as defined 
above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/index.html (last accessed July 3, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When FDA moves to a 6-digit labeler code, although these new 11-
digit native NDC \2\ configurations will have the same number of digits 
as required by the HIPAA standards, they will not be in the same 
format.\3\ Additionally, some of the systems that utilize HIPAA 
standard 11-digit NDCs \4\ do not use hyphens to separate the segments 
which, as illustrated below, will result in some 11-digit native NDCs 
being indistinguishable from HIPAA standard 11-digit NDCs. Therefore, 
to ensure unhyphenated NDCs are distinguishable, FDA anticipates that 
the HIPAA standards, and other code sets that currently require 10-
digit native NDCs to be converted to 11-digit NDCs, will likely be 
updated in some manner.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ NDCs in the format and with the digits assigned by FDA are 
referred to as native NDCs.
    \3\ An 11-digit native NDC will have an extra labeler code digit 
but will be short a digit in either the product code or package 
code.
    \4\ NDCs that contain additional digits necessary to comply with 
HIPAA standards are referred to as Converted NDCs.

                                         Table 1--NDC Conversion Example
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         Converted NDC format
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
                  Native NDC format                        10-digit       11-digit converted  11-digit converted
                                                          hyphenated         (hyphenated)       (unhyphenated)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Native 10-digit (5-3-2).............................        10010-001-01       10010-0001-01         10010000101

[[Page 38668]]

 
Native 11-digit (6-3-2).............................  ..................       100100-001-01         10010000101
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Purpose and Scope of the Hearing

    The purpose of this public hearing is to obtain and discuss 
stakeholder feedback on the future format of NDCs. FDA is seeking 
information on the following topics:
    1. The impact of transitioning from a 5-digit labeler code to a 6-
digit labeler code, including the business, economic, information 
technology, and medical/clinical practice impacts, and its impact on 
the safety and security of drug products.
    2. Issues associated with the current lack of NDC uniformity in the 
marketplace.
    3. What should FDA consider as it explores any further changes or 
expansion to the format or length of the NDC?
    4. How to best transition to a new format for the NDC.
    To facilitate stakeholder feedback, some options for discussion and 
questions will be posted in the docket and on FDA's website at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm at least 30 days prior to 
the hearing. These options and questions are not meant to be 
exhaustive. We encourage interested stakeholders to address these and/
or other issues related to the formatting of NDCs. FDA encourages 
stakeholders to provide the rationale and basis for their comments, 
including any available data and information, and any underlying 
assumptions. For example, to provide context associated with a 
stakeholders response, FDA also is interested in the following 
information within the submission or testimony.
    1. How would you describe your business or area of focus (e.g., 
payor, hospital, health care practitioner, benefit manager or 
administrator, pharmacy, manufacturer, repackager, wholesale 
distributor, third-party logistics provider, drug compendia, standard 
setting organization, government entity)?
    2. How do you or your members use the NDC?
    3. What challenges does your organization or your members face with 
the current NDC and how do you overcome these challenges?
    4. What changes, if any, would you or your members need to make to 
your systems to accommodate the 6-digit labeler code or other larger 
NDC formats?

III. Registration

Registration and Requests for Oral Presentations

    The FDA Conference Center at the White Oak location is a Federal 
facility with security procedures and limited seating. Attendance is 
free and early registration is recommended. Individuals who wish to 
attend must register on or before October 15, 2018, at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm and provide complete contact 
information, including name, title, affiliation, email, and phone 
number. Those without internet access may register by contacting Leyla 
Rahjou-Esfandiary at 301-796-3185. FDA may allow onsite registration if 
space is available. If registration reaches maximum capacity, FDA will 
post a notice closing registration at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm.
    This hearing will include public comment sessions. Individuals who 
wish to present during a public comment session at the public hearing 
must register as noted at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm and identify the topics or questions (see section II) 
they wish to address in their presentation and the stakeholder group 
they best associate with, if any, to help FDA organize the 
presentations. Individuals and organizations with common interests are 
urged to consolidate or coordinate their presentations and request time 
for a joint presentation.
    FDA will do its best to accommodate requests to present during the 
public comment session and will determine the amount of time allotted 
for each oral presentation and the approximate time that each oral 
presentation is scheduled to begin. FDA will notify registered 
presenters of their scheduled times and make available an agenda and 
background material at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm on or before October 22, 2018. Once FDA notifies 
registered presenters of their scheduled times, presenters should 
submit an electronic copy of their presentation to 
[email protected] on or before October 29, 2018.
    If you need special accommodations because of a disability, please 
send an email to [email protected] at least 7 days before 
the hearing.

Streaming Webcast of the Public Hearing

    A link to the live webcast of this public hearing will be available 
at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm on the day of 
public hearing. A video record of the public hearing will be available 
at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm following the 
hearing.

IV. Notice of Public Hearing Under 21 CFR Part 15

    The Commissioner of Food and Drugs is announcing that the public 
hearing will be held in accordance with part 15 (21 CFR part 15). The 
hearing will be conducted by a presiding officer, who will be 
accompanied by FDA senior management from the Office of the 
Commissioner and the relevant centers/offices.
    Under Sec.  15.30(f), the hearing is informal and the rules of 
evidence do not apply. No participant may interrupt the presentation of 
another participant. Only the presiding officer and panel members may 
question any person during or at the conclusion of each presentation. 
At their discretion, the presiding officer(s) may permit questions to 
be submitted from the audience for response by FDA or other persons 
attending the hearing (Sec.  15.30(e)). Public hearings under part 15 
are subject to FDA's policy and procedures for electronic media 
coverage of FDA's public administrative proceedings (21 CFR part 10, 
subpart C). Under Sec.  10.205, representatives of the electronic media 
may be permitted, subject to certain limitations, to videotape, film, 
or otherwise record FDA's public administrative proceedings, including 
presentations by participants. The hearing will be transcribed as 
stipulated in Sec.  15.30(b) (see Transcripts). To the extent that the

[[Page 38669]]

conditions for the hearing, as described in this notice, conflict with 
any provisions set out in part 15, this notice acts as a waiver of 
those provisions as specified in Sec.  15.30(h).

Transcripts

    Please be advised that as soon as a transcript is available, it 
will be accessible at https://www.regulation.gov. It may be viewed at 
the Dockets Management Staff (see ADDRESSES). A transcript will also be 
available in either hardcopy or on CD-ROM, after submission of a 
Freedom of Information request. The Freedom of Information office 
address is available on the Agency's website at https://www.fda.gov.

    Dated: July 31, 2018.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-16807 Filed 8-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4164-01-P



                                                 38666

                                                 Proposed Rules                                                                                                Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                               Vol. 83, No. 152

                                                                                                                                                               Tuesday, August 7, 2018



                                                 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                    WorkingatFDA/BuildingsandFacilities/                  https://www.regulations.gov or at the
                                                 contains notices to the public of the proposed          WhiteOakCampusInformation/                            Dockets Management Staff between 9
                                                 issuance of rules and regulations. The                  ucm241740.htm.                                        a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
                                                 purpose of these notices is to give interested            You may submit comments as                          Friday.
                                                 persons an opportunity to participate in the            follows:
                                                 rule making prior to the adoption of the final                                                                   • Confidential Submissions—To
                                                 rules.                                                  Electronic Submissions                                submit a comment with confidential
                                                                                                           Submit electronic comments in the                   information that you do not wish to be
                                                                                                         following way:                                        made publicly available, submit your
                                                 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND                                  • Federal eRulemaking Portal:                       comments only as a written/paper
                                                 HUMAN SERVICES                                          https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the               submission. You should submit two
                                                 Food and Drug Administration                            instructions for submitting comments.                 copies total. One copy will include the
                                                                                                         Comments submitted electronically,                    information you claim to be confidential
                                                 21 CFR Part 15                                          including attachments, to https://                    with a heading or cover note that states
                                                                                                         www.regulations.gov will be posted to                 ‘‘THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS
                                                 [Docket No. FDA–2018–N–2610]                            the docket unchanged. Because your                    CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.’’ The
                                                                                                         comment will be made public, you are                  Agency will review this copy, including
                                                 Future Format of the National Drug                      solely responsible for ensuring that your             the claimed confidential information, in
                                                 Code; Public Hearing; Request for                       comment does not include any
                                                 Comments                                                                                                      its consideration of comments. The
                                                                                                         confidential information that you or a                second copy, which will have the
                                                 AGENCY:    Food and Drug Administration,                third party may not wish to be posted,                claimed confidential information
                                                 HHS.                                                    such as medical information, your or                  redacted/blacked out, will be available
                                                 ACTION: Notification of public hearing;                 anyone else’s Social Security number, or              for public viewing and posted on
                                                 request for comments.                                   confidential business information, such               https://www.regulations.gov. Submit
                                                                                                         as a manufacturing process. Please note
                                                                                                                                                               both copies to the Dockets Management
                                                 SUMMARY:    The Food and Drug                           that if you include your name, contact
                                                                                                                                                               Staff. If you do not wish your name and
                                                 Administration (FDA or the Agency) is                   information, or other information that
                                                                                                                                                               contact information to be made publicly
                                                 announcing a public hearing and an                      identifies you in the body of your
                                                                                                                                                               available, you can provide this
                                                 opportunity for public comment on the                   comments, that information will be
                                                                                                         posted on https://www.regulations.gov.                information on the cover sheet and not
                                                 future format of the National Drug Code                                                                       in the body of your comments and you
                                                 (NDC). FDA is seeking input from a                        • If you want to submit a comment
                                                                                                         with confidential information that you                must identify this information as
                                                 variety of stakeholders through
                                                                                                         do not wish to be made available to the               ‘‘confidential.’’ Any information marked
                                                 comments and responses to FDA
                                                                                                         public, submit the comment as a                       as ‘‘confidential’’ will not be disclosed
                                                 questions included in this notice and
                                                                                                         written/paper submission and in the                   except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20
                                                 associated web content to be published
                                                                                                         manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper                  and other applicable disclosure law. For
                                                 ahead of the hearing. The questions are
                                                                                                         Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’).                  more information about FDA’s posting
                                                 intended to allow FDA to obtain
                                                 stakeholders’ perspectives on the impact                                                                      of comments to public dockets, see 80
                                                                                                         Written/Paper Submissions                             FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access
                                                 of any future changes made to the length
                                                 and format of the NDC.                                    Submit written/paper submissions as                 the information at: https://www.gpo.gov/
                                                                                                         follows:                                              fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-
                                                 DATES: The public hearing will be held                    • Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier (for                   23389.pdf.
                                                 on November 5, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to                  written/paper submissions): Dockets
                                                 5 p.m. The hearing may be extended or                                                                            Docket: For access to the docket to
                                                                                                         Management Staff (HFA–305), Food and
                                                 end early depending on the level of                                                                           read background documents or the
                                                                                                         Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers
                                                 public participation. Persons seeking to                                                                      electronic and written/paper comments
                                                                                                         Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
                                                 attend or present at the public hearing                   • For written/paper comments                        received, go to https://
                                                 must register by October 15, 2018.                      submitted to the Dockets Management                   www.regulations.gov and insert the
                                                 Electronic or written comments will be                  Staff, FDA will post your comment, as                 docket number, found in brackets in the
                                                 accepted after the public hearing until                 well as any attachments, except for                   heading of this document, into the
                                                 January 5, 2019.                                        information submitted, marked and                     ‘‘Search’’ box and follow the prompts
                                                 ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be                   identified, as confidential, if submitted             and/or go to the Dockets Management
                                                 held at the FDA White Oak Campus,                       as detailed in ‘‘Instructions.’’                      Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061,
                                                 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Building                        Instructions: All submissions received              Rockville, MD 20852.
                                                 31 Conference Center, the Great Room                    must include the Docket No. FDA-2018-                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                 (Rm. 1503 Section B and C), Silver                      N-2610 for ‘‘Future Format of the                     Leyla Rahjou-Esfandiary, Center for
                                                 Spring, MD 20993–0002. Entrance for                     National Drug Code; Public Hearing;                   Drug Evaluation and Research, Food
                                                 the public hearing participants (non-                   Request for Comments.’’ Received                      and Drug Administration, 10903 New
                                                 FDA employees) is through Building 1,                   comments, those filed in a timely                     Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 51, Rm. 2262,
                                                 where routine security check                            manner (see DATES), will be placed in
                                                                                                                                                               Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301–796–
                                                 procedures will be performed. For                       the docket and, except for those
                                                                                                                                                               3185, NDCPublicHearing@fda.hhs.gov.
                                                 parking and security information, please                submitted as ‘‘Confidential
                                                 refer to https://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/                  Submissions,’’ publicly viewable at                   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:



                                            VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:26 Aug 06, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00001   Fmt 4702   Sfmt 4702   E:\FR\FM\07AUP1.SGM   07AUP1


                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 7, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                                 38667

                                                 I. Background                                                         segment number. The 3 segments of                           the administrative simplification ‘‘of the
                                                    The NDC is an FDA standard for                                     NDC include the labeler code, product                       national standards for electronic health
                                                 uniquely identifying drugs in the United                              code, and package code. A labeler code                      care transactions and code sets, unique
                                                 States. Currently, NDCs assigned by                                   is a unique 4-, 5-, or (in the future) 6-                   health identifiers, and security’’ 1 and
                                                 FDA contain 10 digits. As described in                                digit number assigned by FDA that                           specifically references the NDC. In its
                                                 § 207.33(b) (21 CFR 207.33(b)), NDCs                                  identifies the manufacturer, repacker,                      implementation of these rules, in
                                                 consist of three segments: the labeler                                relabeler, or private label distributor of                  August 2000, the Department of Health
                                                 code, the product code, and the package                               the drug. The second segment, the                           and Human Services (HHS) published a
                                                 code. At some point in the next 10 to                                 product code, identifies a specific                         final rule on standards for electronic
                                                 15 years, NDC formatting will need to be                              strength, dosage form, and formulation                      transactions that established NDC
                                                 updated to accommodate longer NDCs                                    of a drug manufactured, repackaged,                         numbers as the standard medical data
                                                 because new labelers are continually                                  relabeled, or distributed by the labeler.                   code set for reporting drugs and
                                                 entering the U.S. market. In 2016, when                               The third segment, the package code,
                                                                                                                                                                                   biologics in all standard transactions
                                                 FDA published the ‘‘Requirements for                                  identifies package sizes and types.
                                                                                                                                                                                   under HIPAA (65 FR 50312). If a
                                                 Foreign and Domestic Establishment                                    Different package codes only
                                                                                                                       differentiate between different                             HIPAA-covered transaction includes a
                                                 Registration and Listing for Human                                                                                                drug, the NDC is required to be a part
                                                 Drugs, Including Drugs That Are                                       quantitative and qualitative attributes of
                                                                                                                       the product packaging. Both the product                     of the medical code data set (see 45 CFR
                                                 Regulated Under a Biologics License                                                                                               subpart J 162.1002(a)(3)). However, in
                                                 Application, and Animal Drugs, Final                                  and package codes are proposed by
                                                                                                                       persons submitting drug listing                             the preamble to the HIPAA regulations,
                                                 Rule’’ FDA stated that when it runs out                                                                                           HHS stated that it was adopting a
                                                 of 5-digit labeler codes, it will begin                               information. FDA will assign a proposed
                                                                                                                       NDC if it has not been used previously,                     uniform 11-digit format to conform with
                                                 assigning 6-digit labeler codes. (81 FR
                                                                                                                       is not currently in use, and has not been                   customary practice used in computer
                                                 60170, August 31, 2016). As a result,
                                                 FDA will add two new 11-digit NDC                                     reserved for future assignment to a                         systems (65 FR 50312 at 50329). The
                                                 formats to accommodate the longer                                     different product. The NDC for a given                      HIPAA standard 11-digit NDC format is
                                                 labeler codes. However, FDA                                           drug is currently in one of the following                   standardized such that the labeler code
                                                 acknowledged that some stakeholders                                   configurations (with each number                            is always 5 digits, the product code is
                                                 expressed an interest in FDA moving to                                representing the number of digits in that                   always 4 digits, and the package code
                                                 a single, standard format for NDCs and                                segment): 4–4–2, 5–3–2, or 5–4–1.                           always 2 digits. To convert a 10-digit
                                                 announced that it would initiate a                                       According to current regulations,                        NDC to an 11-digit HIPAA standard
                                                 public discussion of future formatting                                labeler codes may consist of 4, 5, or 6                     NDC, a leading zero is added to the
                                                 options (81 FR 60170 at 60187). Because                               digits (§ 207.33(b)(1)). Currently, 5-digit                 appropriate segment to create the 11-
                                                 of the widespread use and dependency                                  labeler codes are being assigned by                         digit configuration as defined above.
                                                 on NDCs in prescribing, dispensing,                                   FDA. A 5-digit labeler code format
                                                                                                                                                                                      When FDA moves to a 6-digit labeler
                                                 reimbursement, safety, clinical                                       provides FDA with 90,000 labeler codes
                                                                                                                                                                                   code, although these new 11-digit native
                                                 management, supply chain                                              that could be assigned to drug
                                                                                                                       manufacturers and private label                             NDC 2 configurations will have the same
                                                 management, and pharmaceutical                                                                                                    number of digits as required by the
                                                 manufacturing and labeling systems, the                               distributors ranging from 10,000 to
                                                                                                                       99,999. Based on current assignment                         HIPAA standards, they will not be in
                                                 Agency is holding a public hearing and                                                                                            the same format.3 Additionally, some of
                                                 requesting comments from stakeholders                                 rates, FDA anticipates that it will run
                                                                                                                       out of 5-digit labeler codes in                             the systems that utilize HIPAA standard
                                                 on the impact of the transition to 6-digit
                                                                                                                       approximately 15 years. FDA will begin                      11-digit NDCs 4 do not use hyphens to
                                                 labeler codes.
                                                    Section 510 of the Federal Food, Drug,                             assigning 6-digit labeler codes at some                     separate the segments which, as
                                                 and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C.                                point in the future due to exhaustion of                    illustrated below, will result in some 11-
                                                 360) requires each registered drug                                    5-digit labeler codes. Moving up to 6-                      digit native NDCs being
                                                 establishment to provide FDA with a                                   digit labeler codes will expand NDCs to                     indistinguishable from HIPAA standard
                                                 current list of all drugs manufactured,                               11 digits and, per regulation, allows for                   11-digit NDCs. Therefore, to ensure
                                                 prepared, propagated, compounded, or                                  two additional NDC configurations: 6–                       unhyphenated NDCs are
                                                 processed by the establishment for                                    3–2 and 6–4–1, for a total of five                          distinguishable, FDA anticipates that
                                                 commercial distribution. Drug products                                possible NDC configurations (including                      the HIPAA standards, and other code
                                                 are identified and reported using the                                 the three 10-digit NDC configurations).                     sets that currently require 10-digit
                                                 NDC.                                                                     The Health Insurance Portability and                     native NDCs to be converted to 11-digit
                                                    The NDC for each listed drug in the                                Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Pub. L.                         NDCs, will likely be updated in some
                                                 United States is a unique 10-digit, 3-                                104–191) contains provisions calling for                    manner.

                                                                                                                       TABLE 1—NDC CONVERSION EXAMPLE
                                                                                                                                                                                      Converted NDC format

                                                                                           Native NDC format                                                                                   11-digit                11-digit
                                                                                                                                                                        10-digit              converted               converted
                                                                                                                                                                      hyphenated            (hyphenated)           (unhyphenated)
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                                                 Native 10-digit (5–3–2) ........................................................................................      10010–001–01         10010–0001–01               10010000101

                                                   1 See http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/                           3 An 11-digit native NDC will have an extra                 4 NDCs that contain additional digits necessary to

                                                 administrative/index.html (last accessed July 3,                      labeler code digit but will be short a digit in either      comply with HIPAA standards are referred to as
                                                 2017).                                                                the product code or package code.                           Converted NDCs.
                                                   2 NDCs in the format and with the digits assigned

                                                 by FDA are referred to as native NDCs.



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                                                 38668                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 7, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                                                                            TABLE 1—NDC CONVERSION EXAMPLE—Continued
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Converted NDC format

                                                                                           Native NDC format                                                                                                  11-digit            11-digit
                                                                                                                                                                            10-digit                         converted           converted
                                                                                                                                                                          hyphenated                       (hyphenated)       (unhyphenated)

                                                 Native 11-digit (6–3–2) ........................................................................................   ................................        100100–001–01        10010000101



                                                 II. Purpose and Scope of the Hearing                                    4. What changes, if any, would you or                                  presenters of their scheduled times,
                                                                                                                       your members need to make to your                                        presenters should submit an electronic
                                                    The purpose of this public hearing is
                                                                                                                       systems to accommodate the 6-digit                                       copy of their presentation to
                                                 to obtain and discuss stakeholder
                                                                                                                       labeler code or other larger NDC                                         NDCPublicHearing@fda.hhs.gov on or
                                                 feedback on the future format of NDCs.
                                                                                                                       formats?                                                                 before October 29, 2018.
                                                 FDA is seeking information on the                                                                                                                If you need special accommodations
                                                 following topics:                                                     III. Registration                                                        because of a disability, please send an
                                                    1. The impact of transitioning from a                              Registration and Requests for Oral                                       email to NDCPublicHearing@
                                                 5-digit labeler code to a 6-digit labeler                             Presentations                                                            fda.hhs.gov at least 7 days before the
                                                 code, including the business, economic,                                                                                                        hearing.
                                                 information technology, and medical/                                     The FDA Conference Center at the
                                                 clinical practice impacts, and its impact                             White Oak location is a Federal facility                                 Streaming Webcast of the Public
                                                 on the safety and security of drug                                    with security procedures and limited                                     Hearing
                                                 products.                                                             seating. Attendance is free and early                                      A link to the live webcast of this
                                                    2. Issues associated with the current                              registration is recommended.                                             public hearing will be available at
                                                 lack of NDC uniformity in the                                         Individuals who wish to attend must                                      https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/
                                                 marketplace.                                                          register on or before October 15, 2018,                                  ucm574488.htm on the day of public
                                                                                                                       at https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/                                            hearing. A video record of the public
                                                    3. What should FDA consider as it
                                                                                                                       NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm and                                             hearing will be available at https://
                                                 explores any further changes or
                                                                                                                       provide complete contact information,                                    www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/
                                                 expansion to the format or length of the
                                                                                                                       including name, title, affiliation, email,                               ucm574488.htm following the hearing.
                                                 NDC?
                                                                                                                       and phone number. Those without
                                                    4. How to best transition to a new                                 internet access may register by                                          IV. Notice of Public Hearing Under 21
                                                 format for the NDC.                                                   contacting Leyla Rahjou-Esfandiary at                                    CFR Part 15
                                                    To facilitate stakeholder feedback,                                301–796–3185. FDA may allow onsite                                          The Commissioner of Food and Drugs
                                                 some options for discussion and                                       registration if space is available. If                                   is announcing that the public hearing
                                                 questions will be posted in the docket                                registration reaches maximum capacity,                                   will be held in accordance with part 15
                                                 and on FDA’s website at https://                                      FDA will post a notice closing                                           (21 CFR part 15). The hearing will be
                                                 www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/                                         registration at https://www.fda.gov/                                     conducted by a presiding officer, who
                                                 ucm574488.htm at least 30 days prior to                               Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm574488.htm.                                          will be accompanied by FDA senior
                                                 the hearing. These options and                                           This hearing will include public                                      management from the Office of the
                                                 questions are not meant to be                                         comment sessions. Individuals who                                        Commissioner and the relevant centers/
                                                 exhaustive. We encourage interested                                   wish to present during a public                                          offices.
                                                 stakeholders to address these and/or                                  comment session at the public hearing                                       Under § 15.30(f), the hearing is
                                                 other issues related to the formatting of                             must register as noted at https://                                       informal and the rules of evidence do
                                                 NDCs. FDA encourages stakeholders to                                  www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/                                            not apply. No participant may interrupt
                                                 provide the rationale and basis for their                             ucm574488.htm and identify the topics                                    the presentation of another participant.
                                                 comments, including any available data                                or questions (see section II) they wish to                               Only the presiding officer and panel
                                                 and information, and any underlying                                   address in their presentation and the                                    members may question any person
                                                 assumptions. For example, to provide                                  stakeholder group they best associate                                    during or at the conclusion of each
                                                 context associated with a stakeholders                                with, if any, to help FDA organize the                                   presentation. At their discretion, the
                                                 response, FDA also is interested in the                               presentations. Individuals and                                           presiding officer(s) may permit
                                                 following information within the                                      organizations with common interests are                                  questions to be submitted from the
                                                 submission or testimony.                                              urged to consolidate or coordinate their                                 audience for response by FDA or other
                                                    1. How would you describe your                                     presentations and request time for a                                     persons attending the hearing
                                                 business or area of focus (e.g., payor,                               joint presentation.                                                      (§ 15.30(e)). Public hearings under part
                                                 hospital, health care practitioner,                                      FDA will do its best to accommodate                                   15 are subject to FDA’s policy and
                                                 benefit manager or administrator,                                     requests to present during the public                                    procedures for electronic media
                                                 pharmacy, manufacturer, repackager,                                   comment session and will determine the                                   coverage of FDA’s public administrative
                                                 wholesale distributor, third-party                                    amount of time allotted for each oral                                    proceedings (21 CFR part 10, subpart C).
                                                 logistics provider, drug compendia,                                   presentation and the approximate time                                    Under § 10.205, representatives of the
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                                                 standard setting organization,                                        that each oral presentation is scheduled                                 electronic media may be permitted,
                                                 government entity)?                                                   to begin. FDA will notify registered                                     subject to certain limitations, to
                                                    2. How do you or your members use                                  presenters of their scheduled times and                                  videotape, film, or otherwise record
                                                 the NDC?                                                              make available an agenda and                                             FDA’s public administrative
                                                    3. What challenges does your                                       background material at https://                                          proceedings, including presentations by
                                                 organization or your members face with                                www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/                                            participants. The hearing will be
                                                 the current NDC and how do you                                        ucm574488.htm on or before October                                       transcribed as stipulated in § 15.30(b)
                                                 overcome these challenges?                                            22, 2018. Once FDA notifies registered                                   (see Transcripts). To the extent that the


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                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 7, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                         38669

                                                 conditions for the hearing, as described                issued Executive Order 13771, Reducing                   Section 3(e) of the Executive Order
                                                 in this notice, conflict with any                       Regulation and Controlling Regulatory                 calls on the RRTF to ‘‘seek input and
                                                 provisions set out in part 15, this notice              Costs. Under that Executive Order, for                other assistance, as permitted by law,
                                                 acts as a waiver of those provisions as                 every one new regulation issued, at least             from entities significantly affected by
                                                 specified in § 15.30(h).                                two prior regulations must be identified              Federal regulations, including State,
                                                                                                         for elimination, and the cost of planned              local, and tribal governments, small
                                                 Transcripts
                                                                                                         regulations must be prudently managed                 businesses, consumers,
                                                    Please be advised that as soon as a                  and controlled through a budgeting                    nongovernmental organizations, and
                                                 transcript is available, it will be                     process. On February 24, 2017, the                    trade associations’’ on regulations that
                                                 accessible at https://                                  President issued Executive Order 13777,               meet some or all of the criteria above.
                                                 www.regulation.gov. It may be viewed at                 Enforcing the Regulatory Reform                       The Department sought input in 2017
                                                 the Dockets Management Staff (see                       Agenda. That Executive Order directs                  (see 82 FR 32493), and again solicits
                                                 ADDRESSES). A transcript will also be                   agencies to take specific steps to                    your comments.
                                                 available in either hardcopy or on CD–                  identify and alleviate unnecessary
                                                 ROM, after submission of a Freedom of                                                                         Location of Department Regulations
                                                                                                         regulatory burdens placed on the
                                                 Information request. The Freedom of                     American people. We are seeking                         Existing Department of State
                                                 Information office address is available                 comments on Department regulations,                   regulations can be found in the Code of
                                                 on the Agency’s website at https://                     guidance documents, and collections of                Federal Regulations (CFR) in two places:
                                                 www.fda.gov.                                            information that you believe should be                  • 22 CFR Chapter I (parts 1 through
                                                   Dated: July 31, 2018.                                 removed or modified to alleviate                      199), which contains rules governing
                                                 Leslie Kux,                                             unnecessary burdens. The Department                   Department operations); and
                                                 Associate Commissioner for Policy.                      is also requesting economic data to                     • 48 CFR Chapters VI (part 600),
                                                 [FR Doc. 2018–16807 Filed 8–6–18; 8:45 am]              support any proposed changes.                         which contains the Department’s
                                                                                                                                                               Acquisition Rules.
                                                 BILLING CODE 4164–01–P                                  The Regulatory Reform Task Force                        In addition, guidance regarding
                                                                                                           Executive Order 13777 directs                       Department grants can be found at 2
                                                                                                         agencies to designate a Regulatory                    CFR chapter VI.
                                                 DEPARTMENT OF STATE                                     Reform Officer (RRO) and to establish a                 You may view the most up-to-date
                                                                                                         Regulatory Reform Task Force (RRTF).                  versions of these authorities in the
                                                 22 CFR Chapter I
                                                                                                         The Deputy Secretary of State is the                  electronic CFR, located at www.ecfr.gov.
                                                 48 CFR Chapter 6                                        RRO. Other RRTF members include                       Location of Department Guidance
                                                                                                         senior officials in the Department’s
                                                 [Public Notice: 10489]                                  primary regulatory bureaus (Bureaus of                   Department guidance that relates to
                                                                                                         Consular Affairs, Educational and                     the missions of the rulemaking bureaus
                                                 Reducing Regulation and Public                          Cultural Affairs, Political-Military                  (identified above) can be found in a
                                                 Burden, and Controlling Cost                            Affairs, and Administration), as well as              number of locations on the state.gov
                                                 AGENCY:    Department of State.                         other Department officials with                       public website. The Department is
                                                                                                         expertise in legal requirements,                      interested in comments regarding any of
                                                 ACTION:   Request for comments.
                                                                                                         planning and budget.                                  the guidance located on its public site.
                                                 SUMMARY:   As part of its continuing                      One of the duties of the RRTF is to                 For your convenience, the following
                                                 implementation of Executive Order                       evaluate existing regulations and make                sites cover specific missions:
                                                 13771, ‘‘Reducing Regulation and                        recommendations to the Secretary                         • For Consular Affairs, including
                                                 Controlling Regulatory Costs,’’ issued by               regarding their repeal, replacement, or               passports and visas, please visit https://
                                                 the President on January 30, 2017, the                  modification. Executive Order 13777                   travel.state.gov.
                                                 Department of State (the Department) is                 further directs that the RRTF attempt to                 • For Educational and Cultural
                                                 seeking comments and information from                   identify regulations that:                            Affairs, including the Exchange Visitor
                                                 interested parties to assist the                          • Eliminate jobs, or inhibit job                    Program, please visit https://
                                                 Department in identifying existing                      creation;                                             exchanges.state.gov/.
                                                 regulations, paperwork requirements                       • Are outdated, unnecessary, or                        • For Defense Trade issues, please
                                                 and other regulatory obligations that can               ineffective;                                          visit: https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/.
                                                 be modified or repealed, consistent with                  • Impose costs that exceed benefits;                   You are invited to provide comment
                                                 law, to achieve meaningful burden                         • Create a serious inconsistency or                 on any guidance published by the
                                                 reduction while continuing to achieve                   otherwise interfere with regulatory                   Department that you feel should be
                                                 the Department’s statutory obligations.                 reform initiatives and policies;                      considered for modification or
                                                 DATES: Written comments and related                       • Are inconsistent with the                         elimination, in accordance with E.O.
                                                 material must be received on or before                  requirements of section 515 of the                    13777.
                                                 September 6, 2018.                                      Treasury and General Government
                                                                                                         Appropriations Act, 2001 (44 U.S.C.                   Location of the Department’s Unified
                                                 ADDRESSES: You may submit comments                                                                            Agenda Submission
                                                                                                         3516 note), or the guidance issued
                                                 by email to the following address:                                                                               The Department’s most current
                                                                                                         pursuant to that provision, in particular
                                                 RegsReform@state.gov.                                                                                         submission to the Unified Agenda of
                                                                                                         those regulations that rely in whole or
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                                                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                                                                              Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions is
                                                                                                         in part on data, information, or methods
                                                 Alice Kottmyer, Attorney-Adviser, 202–                  that are not publicly available or that are           located at https://www.reginfo.gov/
                                                 647–2318; or Janet Freer, Director of the               insufficiently transparent to meet the                public/do/eAgendaMain. Select
                                                 Office of Directives Management. Both                   standard of reproducibility; or                       ‘‘Department of State’’ from the
                                                 can be reached at RegsReform@                             • Derive from or implement                          dropdown menu. The Agenda consists
                                                 state.gov.                                              Executive Orders or other Presidential                of regulatory and de-regulatory actions
                                                 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On                           directives that have been subsequently                either in progress or contemplated by
                                                 January 30, 2017, President Trump                       rescinded or substantially modified.                  the Department. The rules are identified


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Document Created: 2018-11-06 10:38:35
Document Modified: 2018-11-06 10:38:35
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionNotification of public hearing; request for comments.
DatesThe public hearing will be held on November 5, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hearing may be extended or end early depending on the level of public participation. Persons seeking to attend or present at the public hearing must register by October 15, 2018. Electronic or written comments will be accepted after the public hearing until January 5, 2019.
ContactLeyla Rahjou-Esfandiary, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 51, Rm. 2262, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796- 3185, [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 38666 

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