Expiration Dating of Unit-Dose Repackaged Solid Oral Dosage Form Drug Products; Revised Draft Guidance for Industry; Availability

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a revised draft guidance for industry entitled ``Expiration Dating of Unit-Dose Repackaged Solid Oral Dosage Form Drug Products.'' The last few decades have seen an increasing demand in various health care settings for solid oral dosage form drug products repackaged into unit-dose containers, which hold a quantity of drug for administration as a single dose. The increase in unit-dose repackaging has led to questions regarding stability studies and appropriate expiration dates for these repackaged products. This revised draft guidance describes the conditions under which FDA does not intend to take action regarding required stability studies for these repackaged products and the expiration date to assign under those conditions. Through this notice, FDA is hoping to decrease the regulatory burdens of drug regulations on manufacturers of these products, while at the same time ensuring patient safety. Since FDA's guidance documents do not bind the public or FDA to any requirements, they have not been considered to be subject to Executive Order 12866.