Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances; Removal of Essential-Use Designation (Epinephrine); Public Meeting; Extension of Comment Period, 63141-63143 [07-5593]
Download as PDF
63141
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
Vol. 72, No. 216
Thursday, November 8, 2007
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.
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
10 CFR Part 54
[Docket No. PRM–54–4]
Friends United for Sustainable Energy;
Denial of Petition for Rulemaking
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Denial of petition for
rulemaking.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSALS
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is denying a petition
for rulemaking (PRM–54–4) submitted
by Susan Shapiro, Esquire, Friends
United for Sustainable Energy. The
petitioner requested that the NRC issue
an order to enjoin the NRC from
considering any new license
applications until the NRC can amend
its regulations so that the regulations do
not suppress and/or eliminate a
stakeholder’s right to redress, due
process and equal protection in the
licensing renewal process. A notice of
receipt of this petition was not
published in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: For a copy of the petition,
write to Michael T. Lesar, Chief,
Rulemaking, Directives, and Editing
Branch, Division of Administrative
Services, Office of Administration, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555–0001.
Publicly available documents related
to this petition may be viewed
electronically on public computers in
the NRC’s public document Room
(PDR), O–1 F21, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland. The PDR reproduction
contractor will copy documents for a
fee.
Publicly available documents created
or received at the NRC after November
1, 1999, are also available electronically
at the NRC’s Electronic Reading Room at
https://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/
index.html. From this site, the public
can gain entry into the NRC’s
Agencywide document Access and
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:47 Nov 07, 2007
Jkt 214001
Management System (ADAMS), which
provides text and image files of NRC’s
public documents. If you do not have
access to ADAMS or if there are
problems in accessing the documents
located in ADAMS contact the NRC’s
PDR Reference staff at 1–800–397–4209,
301–415–4737, or by e-mail to
pdr@nrc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael T. Lesar, Chief, Rulemaking,
Directives, and Editing Branch, Division
of Administrative Services, Office of
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001, Telephone: 301–415–7163, or toll
free: 800–368–5642, e-mail
MTL@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Petition
The petitioner requested that the NRC
issue an order to enjoin the NRC from
considering any new license
applications until the NRC can amend
its regulations so that the regulations do
not suppress and/or eliminate a
stakeholder’s right to redress, due
process and equal protection in the
licensing renewal process.
Reasons for Denial
The NRC is denying this petition
because the petitioner does not provide
any new information that was not
previously considered by the NRC in
denying the petitions submitted by
County Executive Andrew Spano of
Westchester County, New York in PRM–
54–2 and Mayor Joseph Scarpelli of
Brick Township, New Jersey in PRM–
54–3 (December 13, 2006; 72 FR 74848).
These petitions were denied because
they raised issues: (1) That the
Commission already considered at
length in developing the license renewal
rule (December 13, 1991; 56 FR 64943);
(2) that are managed by the ongoing
regulatory process or under other
regulations; or (3) that are beyond the
Commission’s regulatory authority.
The petitioner did not present any
new information that contradicts
positions taken by the Commission
when the December 13, 1991, regulation
was established or demonstrates that
sufficient reason exists to modify the
current regulations.
For the reasons cited in this
document, the NRC denies this petition.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day
of October 2007.
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Luis A. Reyes,
Executive Director for Operations.
[FR Doc. E7–21928 Filed 11–7–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Part 2
[Docket No. 2007N–0262]
RIN 0910–AF92
Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances;
Removal of Essential-Use Designation
(Epinephrine); Public Meeting;
Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
Proposed rule; notice of public
meeting and extension of comment
period.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) is announcing a
public meeting to solicit comments on
a proposed rule that would amend
FDA’s regulation on the use of ozonedepleting substances (ODSs) in selfpressurized containers to remove the
essential-use designation for oral
pressurized metered-dose inhalers
(MDIs) containing epinephrine. The
proposed rule was published in the
Federal Register of September 20, 2007
(72 FR 53711). Information from the
public meeting, which is required by
agency regulations, will be considered
in finalizing the rulemaking. In
addition, the comment period on the
proposed rule is being extended to
December 19, 2007, to accommodate the
meeting and to provide a short period
after the meeting to receive additional
comments.
The comment period for the
September 20, 2007 (72 FR 53711)
proposed rule is being extended to
December 19, 2007. The public meeting
will be held on December 5, 2007, from
9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Submit written or
electronic comments for consideration
at the meeting and requests to speak at
the meeting by November 23, 2007.
Register to attend the meeting by
November 23, 2007. Submit written or
electronic comments on the proposed
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\08NOP1.SGM
08NOP1
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSALS
63142
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 216 / Thursday, November 8, 2007 / Proposed Rules
rule and this document by December 19,
2007.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be
held at FDA, Center for Drug Evaluation
and Research, Advisory Committee
Conference Room, 5630 Fishers Lane,
rm. 1066, Rockville, MD 20852.
You may submit comments, identified
by Docket No. 2007N–0262 and RIN
number RIN 0910–AF92, by any of the
following methods:
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic comments in the
following ways:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Agency Web site: https://
www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments on the agency Web site.
Written Submissions
Submit written submissions in the
following ways:
• FAX: 301–827–6870.
• Mail/Hand delivery/Courier [For
paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions]:
Division of Dockets Management (HFA–
305), Food and Drug Administration,
5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville,
MD 20852.
To ensure more timely processing of
comments, FDA is no longer accepting
comments submitted directly to the
agency by e-mail. FDA encourages you
to continue to submit electronic
comments by using the Federal
eRulemaking Portal or the agency Web
site, as described previously in the
ADDRESSES portion of this document
under Electronic Submissions.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
Docket No(s). and Regulatory
Information Number (RIN) for this
rulemaking. All comments received may
be posted without change to https://
www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/
default.htm, including any personal
information provided. For additional
information on submitting comments,
see the ‘‘Request for Comments’’
heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this document.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read the proposed rule, background
documents, or comments received, go to
https://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/
default.htm and insert the docket
number 2007N–0262, into the ‘‘Search’’
box and follow the prompts and/or go
to the Division of Dockets Management,
5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville,
MD 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rose
Cunningham, Center for Drug
Evaluation and Research (HFD–6), Food
and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:47 Nov 07, 2007
Jkt 214001
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301–443–
5383, E-mail: CDEREXSEC@fda.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Under the Clean Air Act, FDA, in
consultation with the Environmental
Protection Agency, is required to
determine whether an FDA-regulated
product that releases an ODS is an
essential use of the ODS. In the Federal
Register of September 20, 2007 (72 FR
53711) (the proposed rule), we proposed
to amend our regulation on the use of
ODSs in self-pressurized containers to
remove the essential-use designation of
MDIs containing epinephrine. You may
find copies of the proposed rule on the
Division of Dockets Management Web
site (see ADDRESSES) and the GPO
Access Web site at https://
www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/. If the
essential-use designation is removed,
epinephrine MDIs containing an ODS
could not be marketed after the effective
date of the final rule removing the
essential-use designation.
In proposing to remove the essentialuse designation for epinephrine, we
applied the criterion for removing an
essential-use designation in § 2.125(g)(2)
(21 CFR 2.125(g)(2)). Under
§ 2.125(g)(2), an essential-use
designation can be removed if it no
longer meets the criteria specified in
§ 2.125(f) for adding a new essential use.
The criteria in § 2.125(f)(1) are: ‘‘(i)
Substantial technical barriers exist to
formulating the product without ODSs;
(ii) The product will provide an
unavailable important public health
benefit; and (iii) Use of the product does
not release cumulatively significant
amounts of ODSs into the atmosphere or
the release is warranted in view of the
unavailable important public health
benefit.’’
We proposed that the removal of the
essential-use designation for
epinephrine be made effective on
December 31, 2010. Depending on the
data presented to us in the course of the
rulemaking, we may determine that it is
appropriate to have a different effective
date than the one we proposed.
The provisions in § 2.125(g)(2) that
provide the procedures and criteria
being used in this rulemaking require
that a public meeting be held before an
essential use may be removed. This
document announces the meeting that
will be held to fulfill that requirement,
which will also better inform the
decisions we will be making during the
rulemaking.
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
II. Issues and Questions for Discussion
and Comment
If you are going to speak at the
meeting or submit a written comment,
you may address any issue raised in the
proposed rule or on any other issue that
is relevant to our decision on the
proposed rule. You may wish to discuss
how the criteria described in section I
of this document apply to MDIs
containing epinephrine. You may wish
to discuss how the fact that epinephrine
MDIs are the most widely used over-thecounter (OTC) treatment for the
symptoms of asthma should affect our
decision. You may also wish to discuss
whether a different effective date is
appropriate. We invite discussion of
issues on which we specifically asked
for comments in the proposed rule,
including the following.
• Will production of albuterol HFA1
MDIs (a primary therapeutic alternative
to OTC epinephrine MDIs) be able to
meet any increased demand caused by
this rulemaking? (72 FR 53711 at 53716)
• Will inhaled epinephrine become
available in a non-ODS formulation and
when can a non-ODS inhaledepinephrine product be reasonably
expected to enter the market? (72 FR
53711 at 53716)
• Should the availability of an
inhaled-epinephrine OTC drug product
that does not contain ODSs affect
whether we publish a final rule or the
effective date of any such rule? (72 FR
53711 at 53716)
• What efforts are currently being
made to develop non-ODS inhaledepinephrine drug products that would
be suitable for OTC sale? (72 FR 53711
at 53718)
• What are the impediments to
developing non-ODS inhaledepinephrine drug products that would
be suitable for OTC sale? (72 FR 53711
at 53718)
• How many people who face barriers
to health care purchase epinephrine
MDIs because of those barriers to health
care? (72 FR 53711 at 53720)
• Will programs providing free or lowcost drugs reduce any adverse impact on
the public health caused by the removal
of OTC epinephrine MDIs from the
market? (72 FR 53711 at 53722)
• Do risks of self-treatment of asthma
outweigh the public health benefits that
OTC epinephrine MDIs may provide?
(72 FR 53711 at 53722)
• What are the expected costs and
public health effects to individuals with
asthma if OTC epinephrine MDIs were
removed from the market without a
1‘‘HFA’’ is used in the pharmaceutical industry,
and is used here, to refer to the hydrofluoralkane
HFA–134a, a non-ozone-depleting propellant.
E:\FR\FM\08NOP1.SGM
08NOP1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 216 / Thursday, November 8, 2007 / Proposed Rules
similar product being available OTC?
(72 FR 53711 at 53722)
We consulted with FDA’s
Nonprescription Drugs Advisory
Committee and Pulmonary and Allergy
Drugs Advisory Committee at a joint
meeting held on January 24, 2006, to
discuss the essential-use status of MDIs
containing epinephrine. During the
meeting, several committee members
expressed opinions that MDIs
containing epinephrine provide
important public health benefits to
individuals with asthma who face
barriers to health care and cannot obtain
prescription drugs. You may wish to
read the transcript of the joint meeting
(available on the Division of Dockets
Management Web site (see ADDRESSES))
or the summaries of the discussions at
the meeting in the proposed rule (72 FR
53711 at 53716 to 53724).
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSALS
III. Registration, Agenda, and
Transcript
There is no fee to register for the
meeting, but registration is required and
space is limited. Interested parties are
therefore encouraged to register early.
Limited visitor parking is available for
a fee, and the Twinbrook Metro Stop is
within walking distance of the meeting
site. Early arrival is encouraged, as there
will be security screening. You will be
asked for government-issued picture
identification by the security officers. If
you need special accommodations due
to a disability, please include this
information when registering.
Registration for General Attendees.
Registration is required to attend the
public meeting. If you wish to attend the
meeting, you must register by November
23, 2007, via e-mail to:
CDEREXSEC@fda.hhs.gov. Please
indicate ‘‘Essential-Use Designation of
Epinephrine’’ in the SUBJECT line and
provide complete contact information
for each attendee (including name, title,
affiliation, e-mail address, and phone
number(s)). Upon receipt and review for
adequacy of information, an e-mail will
be sent to confirm registration.
Registration for Speaking Attendees.
If you wish to speak at the meeting, you
must register by November 23, 2007, via
e-mail to: CDEREXSEC@fda.hhs.gov.
Please indicate ‘‘Speaker--Essential UseDesignation of Epinephrine’’ in the
SUBJECT line. When registering,
speakers must provide the following
information: (1) The topic or issue to be
addressed; (2) the speaker’s name, title,
company or organization, address,
phone number, and e-mail address; and
(3) the approximate length of time
requested to speak. We encourage
consolidation of like-minded
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:47 Nov 07, 2007
Jkt 214001
presentations to enable a broad range of
views to be presented.
Agenda and Transcript. The agenda
for the public meeting will be available
on FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation
and Research (CDER) Web site at: https://
www.fda.gov/cder/meeting/
ozone2007.htm. After the meeting, the
agenda, presentations, and transcript
will be placed on file in the Division of
Dockets Management under Docket No.
2007N–0262 and on CDER’s Web site
identified previously.
Copies of the transcript may be
requested in writing from the Freedom
of Information Office (HFI–35), Food
and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers
Lane, rm. 6–30, Rockville, MD 20857,
approximately 20 working days after the
meeting at a cost of 10 cents per page,
or on compact disc at a cost of $14.25
each. You may also examine the
transcript at the Division of Dockets
Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, and on the
Internet at https://www.fda.gov/ohrms/
dockets/default.htm.
IV. Extension of the Comment Period
for the Proposed Rule
FDA is extending the comment period
for the proposed rule to December 19,
2007. We believe that extending the
comment period is reasonable to
accommodate the public meeting and to
provide a short period after the meeting
to receive additional comments.
V. Request for Comments
Regardless of your attendance at the
meeting, you may submit to the Division
of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES)
written or electronic comments related
to the proposed rule (see DATES). All
relevant data and information should be
submitted with the written comments.
Submit a single copy of electronic
comments or two paper copies of any
mailed comments, except that
individuals may submit one copy.
Comments are to be identified with
Docket No. 2007N–0262. Received
comments may be seen in the Division
of Dockets Management between 9 a.m.
and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Dated: November 5, 2007.
Jeffrey Shuren,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 07–5593 Filed 11–5–07; 4:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 4160–01–S
PO 00000
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[REG–140206–06]
RIN–1545–BF93
Withholding Procedure Under Section
1441 for Certain Distributions to Which
Section 302 Applies; Correction
Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
Treasury.
ACTION: Correction to notice of proposed
rulemaking.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This document contains
corrections to proposed regulations
(REG–140206–06) that were published
in the Federal Register on Wednesday,
October 17, 2007 (72 FR 58781)
regarding a withholding agent’s
obligation to withhold and report tax
under Chapter 3 of the Internal Revenue
Code when there is a distribution in
redemption of stock of a corporation
that is actively traded on an established
financial market.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kathryn Holman at (202) 622–3840 (not
a’’.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The notice of proposed rulemaking
(REG–140206–06) that is the subject of
this correction is under section 1441 of
the Internal Revenue Code.
Need for Correction
As published, this notice of proposed
rulemaking (REG–140206–06) contains
an error that may prove to be misleading
and is in need of clarification.
Correction of Publication
Accordingly, the notice of proposed
rulemaking (REG–140206–06) that was
the subject of FR Doc. E7–20504 is
corrected as follows:
On page 58781, column 3, in the
preamble, under the caption ‘‘FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:’’, line 2,
the language ‘‘Kathryn Holman, (202)
622–3440 (not a’’ is corrected to read
‘‘Kathryn Holman, (202) 622–3840 (not
a)’’.
Cynthia Grigsby,
Senior Federal Register Liaison, Publications
and Regulations Branch, Legal Processing
Division, Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure
and Administration).
[FR Doc. E7–21904 Filed 11–7–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
Frm 00003
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
63143
E:\FR\FM\08NOP1.SGM
08NOP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 216 (Thursday, November 8, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63141-63143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5593]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Part 2
[Docket No. 2007N-0262]
RIN 0910-AF92
Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances; Removal of Essential-Use
Designation (Epinephrine); Public Meeting; Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public meeting and extension of
comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a public
meeting to solicit comments on a proposed rule that would amend FDA's
regulation on the use of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) in self-
pressurized containers to remove the essential-use designation for oral
pressurized metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) containing epinephrine. The
proposed rule was published in the Federal Register of September 20,
2007 (72 FR 53711). Information from the public meeting, which is
required by agency regulations, will be considered in finalizing the
rulemaking. In addition, the comment period on the proposed rule is
being extended to December 19, 2007, to accommodate the meeting and to
provide a short period after the meeting to receive additional
comments.
DATES: The comment period for the September 20, 2007 (72 FR 53711)
proposed rule is being extended to December 19, 2007. The public
meeting will be held on December 5, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Submit written or electronic comments for consideration at the meeting
and requests to speak at the meeting by November 23, 2007. Register to
attend the meeting by November 23, 2007. Submit written or electronic
comments on the proposed
[[Page 63142]]
rule and this document by December 19, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at FDA, Center for Drug
Evaluation and Research, Advisory Committee Conference Room, 5630
Fishers Lane, rm. 1066, Rockville, MD 20852.
You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. 2007N-0262 and
RIN number RIN 0910-AF92, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic comments in the following ways:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Agency Web site: https://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on the agency Web site.
Written Submissions
Submit written submissions in the following ways:
FAX: 301-827-6870.
Mail/Hand delivery/Courier [For paper, disk, or CD-ROM
submissions]: Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
To ensure more timely processing of comments, FDA is no longer
accepting comments submitted directly to the agency by e-mail. FDA
encourages you to continue to submit electronic comments by using the
Federal eRulemaking Portal or the agency Web site, as described
previously in the ADDRESSES portion of this document under Electronic
Submissions.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and Docket No(s). and Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this
rulemaking. All comments received may be posted without change to
https://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/default.htm, including any personal
information provided. For additional information on submitting
comments, see the ``Request for Comments'' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this document.
Docket: For access to the docket to read the proposed rule,
background documents, or comments received, go to https://www.fda.gov/
ohrms/dockets/default.htm and insert the docket number 2007N-0262, into
the ``Search'' box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Division of
Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rose Cunningham, Center for Drug
Evaluation and Research (HFD-6), Food and Drug Administration, 5600
Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-443-5383, E-mail:
CDEREXSEC@fda.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Under the Clean Air Act, FDA, in consultation with the
Environmental Protection Agency, is required to determine whether an
FDA-regulated product that releases an ODS is an essential use of the
ODS. In the Federal Register of September 20, 2007 (72 FR 53711) (the
proposed rule), we proposed to amend our regulation on the use of ODSs
in self-pressurized containers to remove the essential-use designation
of MDIs containing epinephrine. You may find copies of the proposed
rule on the Division of Dockets Management Web site (see ADDRESSES) and
the GPO Access Web site at https://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/. If
the essential-use designation is removed, epinephrine MDIs containing
an ODS could not be marketed after the effective date of the final rule
removing the essential-use designation.
In proposing to remove the essential-use designation for
epinephrine, we applied the criterion for removing an essential-use
designation in Sec. 2.125(g)(2) (21 CFR 2.125(g)(2)). Under Sec.
2.125(g)(2), an essential-use designation can be removed if it no
longer meets the criteria specified in Sec. 2.125(f) for adding a new
essential use. The criteria in Sec. 2.125(f)(1) are: ``(i) Substantial
technical barriers exist to formulating the product without ODSs; (ii)
The product will provide an unavailable important public health
benefit; and (iii) Use of the product does not release cumulatively
significant amounts of ODSs into the atmosphere or the release is
warranted in view of the unavailable important public health benefit.''
We proposed that the removal of the essential-use designation for
epinephrine be made effective on December 31, 2010. Depending on the
data presented to us in the course of the rulemaking, we may determine
that it is appropriate to have a different effective date than the one
we proposed.
The provisions in Sec. 2.125(g)(2) that provide the procedures and
criteria being used in this rulemaking require that a public meeting be
held before an essential use may be removed. This document announces
the meeting that will be held to fulfill that requirement, which will
also better inform the decisions we will be making during the
rulemaking.
II. Issues and Questions for Discussion and Comment
If you are going to speak at the meeting or submit a written
comment, you may address any issue raised in the proposed rule or on
any other issue that is relevant to our decision on the proposed rule.
You may wish to discuss how the criteria described in section I of this
document apply to MDIs containing epinephrine. You may wish to discuss
how the fact that epinephrine MDIs are the most widely used over-the-
counter (OTC) treatment for the symptoms of asthma should affect our
decision. You may also wish to discuss whether a different effective
date is appropriate. We invite discussion of issues on which we
specifically asked for comments in the proposed rule, including the
following.
Will production of albuterol HFA\1\ MDIs (a primary
therapeutic alternative to OTC epinephrine MDIs) be able to meet any
increased demand caused by this rulemaking? (72 FR 53711 at 53716)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\``HFA'' is used in the pharmaceutical industry, and is used
here, to refer to the hydrofluoralkane HFA-134a, a non-ozone-
depleting propellant.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Will inhaled epinephrine become available in a non-ODS
formulation and when can a non-ODS inhaled-epinephrine product be
reasonably expected to enter the market? (72 FR 53711 at 53716)
Should the availability of an inhaled-epinephrine OTC drug
product that does not contain ODSs affect whether we publish a final
rule or the effective date of any such rule? (72 FR 53711 at 53716)
What efforts are currently being made to develop non-ODS
inhaled-epinephrine drug products that would be suitable for OTC sale?
(72 FR 53711 at 53718)
What are the impediments to developing non-ODS inhaled-
epinephrine drug products that would be suitable for OTC sale? (72 FR
53711 at 53718)
How many people who face barriers to health care purchase
epinephrine MDIs because of those barriers to health care? (72 FR 53711
at 53720)
Will programs providing free or low-cost drugs reduce any
adverse impact on the public health caused by the removal of OTC
epinephrine MDIs from the market? (72 FR 53711 at 53722)
Do risks of self-treatment of asthma outweigh the public
health benefits that OTC epinephrine MDIs may provide? (72 FR 53711 at
53722)
What are the expected costs and public health effects to
individuals with asthma if OTC epinephrine MDIs were removed from the
market without a
[[Page 63143]]
similar product being available OTC? (72 FR 53711 at 53722)
We consulted with FDA's Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee
and Pulmonary and Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee at a joint meeting
held on January 24, 2006, to discuss the essential-use status of MDIs
containing epinephrine. During the meeting, several committee members
expressed opinions that MDIs containing epinephrine provide important
public health benefits to individuals with asthma who face barriers to
health care and cannot obtain prescription drugs. You may wish to read
the transcript of the joint meeting (available on the Division of
Dockets Management Web site (see ADDRESSES)) or the summaries of the
discussions at the meeting in the proposed rule (72 FR 53711 at 53716
to 53724).
III. Registration, Agenda, and Transcript
There is no fee to register for the meeting, but registration is
required and space is limited. Interested parties are therefore
encouraged to register early. Limited visitor parking is available for
a fee, and the Twinbrook Metro Stop is within walking distance of the
meeting site. Early arrival is encouraged, as there will be security
screening. You will be asked for government-issued picture
identification by the security officers. If you need special
accommodations due to a disability, please include this information
when registering.
Registration for General Attendees. Registration is required to
attend the public meeting. If you wish to attend the meeting, you must
register by November 23, 2007, via e-mail to: CDEREXSEC@fda.hhs.gov.
Please indicate ``Essential-Use Designation of Epinephrine'' in the
SUBJECT line and provide complete contact information for each attendee
(including name, title, affiliation, e-mail address, and phone
number(s)). Upon receipt and review for adequacy of information, an e-
mail will be sent to confirm registration.
Registration for Speaking Attendees. If you wish to speak at the
meeting, you must register by November 23, 2007, via e-mail to:
CDEREXSEC@fda.hhs.gov. Please indicate ``Speaker--Essential Use-
Designation of Epinephrine'' in the SUBJECT line. When registering,
speakers must provide the following information: (1) The topic or issue
to be addressed; (2) the speaker's name, title, company or
organization, address, phone number, and e-mail address; and (3) the
approximate length of time requested to speak. We encourage
consolidation of like-minded presentations to enable a broad range of
views to be presented.
Agenda and Transcript. The agenda for the public meeting will be
available on FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Web
site at: https://www.fda.gov/cder/meeting/ozone2007.htm. After the
meeting, the agenda, presentations, and transcript will be placed on
file in the Division of Dockets Management under Docket No. 2007N-0262
and on CDER's Web site identified previously.
Copies of the transcript may be requested in writing from the
Freedom of Information Office (HFI-35), Food and Drug Administration,
5600 Fishers Lane, rm. 6-30, Rockville, MD 20857, approximately 20
working days after the meeting at a cost of 10 cents per page, or on
compact disc at a cost of $14.25 each. You may also examine the
transcript at the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, and on the Internet at https://www.fda.gov/
ohrms/dockets/default.htm.
IV. Extension of the Comment Period for the Proposed Rule
FDA is extending the comment period for the proposed rule to
December 19, 2007. We believe that extending the comment period is
reasonable to accommodate the public meeting and to provide a short
period after the meeting to receive additional comments.
V. Request for Comments
Regardless of your attendance at the meeting, you may submit to the
Division of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES) written or electronic
comments related to the proposed rule (see DATES). All relevant data
and information should be submitted with the written comments. Submit a
single copy of electronic comments or two paper copies of any mailed
comments, except that individuals may submit one copy. Comments are to
be identified with Docket No. 2007N-0262. Received comments may be seen
in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
Dated: November 5, 2007.
Jeffrey Shuren,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 07-5593 Filed 11-5-07; 4:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S