Clarification of When Products Made or Derived From Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination Products; Amendments to Regulations Regarding “Intended Uses”; Proposed Partial Delay of Effective Date, 2092-2097 [2018-00555]
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2092
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 10 / Tuesday, January 16, 2018 / Proposed Rules
under the criteria of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation
safety, Incorporation by reference,
Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority
delegated to me by the Administrator,
the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part
39 as follows:
PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS
DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
§ 39.13
[Amended]
2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by
removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2014–02–01, Amendment 39–17729 (79
FR 7382, February 7, 2014), and adding
the following new AD:
■
Bombardier, Inc.: Docket No. FAA–2017–
1246; Product Identifier 2017–NM–086–
AD.
(a) Comments Due Date
We must receive comments by March 2,
2018.
(b) Affected ADs
This AD replaces AD 2014–02–01,
Amendment 39–17729 (79 FR 7382, February
7, 2014) (‘‘AD 2014–02–01’’).
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to the airplanes identified
in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this AD,
certificated in any category.
(1) Bombardier, Inc., Model CL–600–2C10
(Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702)
airplanes, serial number 10002 through
10344 inclusive.
(2) Bombardier, Inc., Model CL–600–2D15
(Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes and Model
CL–600–2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900)
airplanes, serial numbers 15001 through
15397 inclusive.
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(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of
America Code 27, Flight controls.
(e) Reason
This AD was prompted by reports that
when installing the rudder travel limiter
(RTL) return springs, the RTL limiter arm
assembly lug can become deformed. We are
issuing this AD to prevent deformed RTL
limiter arm assembly lugs, which can lead to
failure of the limiter arm assembly lug. In
combination with failure of the RTL, failure
of the limiter arm assembly lug could result
in reduced controllability of the airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the
compliance times specified, unless already
done.
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(g) Inspections, Modification, and
Replacement
(1) For airplanes equipped with RTL return
spring part number BA–670–93465–1 or
E0650–069–02750S: Within 800 flight hours
or 4 months after the effective date of this
AD, whichever occurs first, do a detailed
visual inspection of the casing of the primary
actuator for signs of chafing or missing paint,
and all applicable corrective actions; replace
the RTL return springs; and do an eddy
current inspection of the lugs of the RTL
limiter arm assembly for cracks, and modify
or replace the RTL limiter arm assembly, as
applicable; in accordance with Part A of the
Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier
Service Bulletin 670BA–27–070, Revision B,
dated March 31, 2017. Accomplishment of
the actions specified in Bombardier Service
Bulletin 670BA–27–059 does not meet the
requirements of this paragraph.
(2) For airplanes equipped with RTL return
spring part number BA–670–93468–1: Within
8,000 flight hours after the effective date of
this AD, do a detailed visual inspection of
the RTL return springs for signs of chafing,
and applicable corrective actions; a detailed
visual inspection of the casing of the primary
actuator for signs of chafing or missing paint,
and all applicable corrective actions; and do
an eddy current inspection of the lugs of the
RTL limiter arm assembly for cracks, and
modify or replace the RTL limiter arm
assembly, as applicable; in accordance with
Part B of the Accomplishment Instructions of
Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA–27–070,
Revision B, dated March 31, 2017.
Accomplishment of the actions specified in
Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA–27–059
does not meet the requirements of this
paragraph.
(h) Credit for Previous Actions
This paragraph provides credit for actions
required by paragraph (g) of this AD, if those
actions were performed before the effective
date of this AD using the service information
specified in paragraph (h)(1) or (h)(2) of this
AD.
(1) Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA–
27–070, dated December 17, 2015.
(2) Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA–
27–070, Revision A, dated September 01,
2016.
(i) Other FAA AD Provisions
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance
(AMOCs): The Manager, New York ACO
Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve
AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In
accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your
request to your principal inspector or local
Flight Standards District Office, as
appropriate. If sending information directly
to the manager of the ACO, send it to ATTN:
Program Manager, Continuing Operational
Safety, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600
Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY
11590; telephone: 516–228–7300; fax: 516–
794–5531. Before using any approved AMOC,
notify your appropriate principal inspector,
or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
of the local flight standards district office/
certificate holding district office. Before
using any approved AMOC, notify your
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appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a
principal inspector, the manager of the local
flight standards district office/certificate
holding district office.
(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any
requirement in this AD to obtain corrective
actions from a manufacturer, the action must
be accomplished using a method approved
by the Manager, New York ACO Branch,
FAA; or Transport Canada Civil Aviation
(TCCA); or Bombardier Inc.’s TCCA Design
Approval Organization (DAO). If approved by
the DAO, the approval must include the
DAO-authorized signature.
(j) Related Information
(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing
Airworthiness Information (MCAI) Canadian
AD CF–2017–19, dated June 6, 2017, for
related information. This MCAI may be
found in the AD docket on the internet at
https://www.regulations.gov by searching for
and locating Docket No. FAA–2017–1246.
(2) For more information about this AD,
contact Cesar Gomez, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe and Mechanical Systems Section,
FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart
Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590;
telephone: 516–228–7318; fax: 516–794–
5531.
(3) For service information identified in
ˆ
this AD, contact Bombardier, Inc., 400 Cote´
Vertu Road West, Dorval, Quebec H4S 1Y9,
Canada; Widebody Customer Response
Center North America toll-free telephone: 1–
866–538–1247 or direct-dial telephone: 1–
514–855–2999; fax: 514–855–7401; email:
ac.yul@aero.bombardier.com; internet:
https://www.bombardier.com. You may view
this service information at the FAA,
Transport Standards Branch, 1601 Lind
Avenue SW, Renton, WA. For information on
the availability of this material at the FAA,
call 425–227–1221.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on
December 28, 2017.
John P. Piccola, Jr.,
Acting Director, System Oversight Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–00340 Filed 1–12–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Parts 201, 801, and 1100
[Docket No. FDA–2015–N–2002]
RIN 0910–AH94
Clarification of When Products Made
or Derived From Tobacco Are
Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or
Combination Products; Amendments
to Regulations Regarding ‘‘Intended
Uses’’; Proposed Partial Delay of
Effective Date
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 10 / Tuesday, January 16, 2018 / Proposed Rules
Proposed rule; partial delay of
effective date.
ACTION:
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA, the Agency, or
we) is proposing to delay the effective
date of certain portions of a final rule
published in the Federal Register of
January 9, 2017. In the Federal Register
of February 7, 2017, we delayed until
March 21, 2017, the effective date of the
final rule. In the Federal Register of
March 20, 2017, we further delayed the
effective date of the final rule until
March 19, 2018, and invited public
comment on the rule. This action, if
finalized, will delay until further notice
the effective date of the portions of the
final rule amending FDA’s existing
regulations describing the types of
evidence that may be considered in
determining a medical product’s
intended uses. FDA received a number
of comments on the final rule that raise
questions about the amendments to the
existing medical product ‘‘intended
use’’ regulations. FDA is proposing to
delay the effective date of the
amendments to the existing medical
product ‘‘intended use’’ regulations to
allow further consideration of the
substantive issues raised in the
comments received. This action, if
finalized, will not further delay the
effective date of the new regulation that
describes the circumstances in which a
product made or derived from tobacco
that is intended for human consumption
will be subject to regulation as a drug,
device, or a combination product under
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FD&C Act).
DATES: Submit either electronic or
written comments on this proposed rule
by February 5, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the proposed rule for partial delay as
follows. Electronic comments must be
submitted on or before February 5, 2018.
The https://www.regulations.gov
electronic filing system will accept
comments until midnight Eastern Time
at the end of February 5, 2018.
Comments received by mail/hand
delivery/courier (for written/paper
submissions) will be considered timely
if they are postmarked or the delivery
service acceptance receipt is on or
before that date. Please note that late,
untimely filed comments will not be
considered.
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SUMMARY:
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,
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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–
2015–N–2002 for ‘‘Clarification of When
Products Made or Derived from Tobacco
Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or
Combination Products; Amendments to
Regulations Regarding ‘Intended Uses’;
Proposed Partial Delay of Effective
Date.’’ Received comments, those filed
in a timely manner (see ADDRESSES),
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
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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.gpo.gov/
fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/201523389.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:
Kelley Nduom, Center for Drug
Evaluation and Research, Office of
Regulatory Policy, Food and Drug
Administration, 10903 New Hampshire
Ave., Bldg. 51, Rm. 6221, Silver Spring,
MD 20993, 301–796–8597,
kelley.nduom@fda.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In the Federal Register of January 9,
2017 (82 FR 2193), FDA published a
final rule entitled ‘‘Clarification of
When Products Made or Derived From
Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs,
Devices, or Combination Products;
Amendments to Regulations Regarding
‘Intended Uses.’ ’’ The final rule added
a new regulation (§ 1100.5) to title 21 of
the CFR to describe the circumstances
in which a product made or derived
from tobacco that is intended for human
consumption will be subject to
regulation as a drug, device, or a
combination product under the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C
Act). The rule also amended FDA’s
existing regulations describing the types
of evidence that may be considered in
determining a medical product’s
intended uses (21 CFR 201.128 (drugs)
and 21 CFR 801.4 (devices)).
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In the Federal Register of February 7,
2017 (82 FR 9501), in accordance with
the memorandum of January 20, 2017,
from the Assistant to the President and
Chief of Staff, entitled ‘‘Regulatory
Freeze Pending Review,’’ we delayed,
until March 21, 2017, the effective date
of the final rule. In the Federal Register
of March 20, 2017 (82 FR 14319), we
further delayed the effective date of the
final rule until March 19, 2018, and
reopened the docket to invite additional
public comment on the rule.
The comments we received are
summarized below. To allow further
consideration of the substantive issues
raised in these comments, FDA is
proposing to delay the effective date of
the amendments to the existing medical
product ‘‘intended use’’ regulations
(§§ 201.128 and 801.4) contained in the
final rule of January 9, 2017, until
further notice. See 21 CFR 10.35(a) and
(b) (stating that FDA ‘‘may at any time
stay or extend the effective date of an
action pending or following a decision
on any matter’’ and recognizing that the
stay may be ‘‘for an indefinite time
period’’). The Agency must solicit
public comment on this proposed delay,
consider the comments submitted, and
prepare and publish a final notification
of the delay before March 19, 2018,
when the final rule is scheduled to take
effect. In light of this limited timeframe,
it is impracticable to provide 60 days for
comment on this proposed delay. Thus,
the Commissioner of Food and Drugs
finds good cause under 21 CFR
10.40(b)(2) for providing a shortened
comment period, ending February 5,
2018. In light of the date on which the
current delay of the effective date will
expire unless further extended, no
extensions on the comment period will
be granted.
II. Summary of Comments Received in
the Reopened Docket of the Final Rule
Fifteen comments were submitted to
the docket for the January 9, 2017 final
rule after the docket was reopened on
March 20, 2017. These comments were
submitted by the drug and device
industries, various associations,
academia, and individual submitters
including a health professional and a
consumer. A brief summary of these
comments is included below.1
Two of the comments submitted to
the docket related to the new regulation
included in the final rule that describes
circumstances in which a product made
or derived from tobacco that is intended
1 This summary is not intended to be a
comprehensive discussion of the comments nor
should it be construed to suggest that FDA has
made any decisions about the substantive issues
raised in the comments.
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for human consumption will be subject
to regulation as a drug, device, or a
combination product under the FD&C
Act (§ 1100.5). One comment criticized
the modified risk tobacco product
provisions of the FD&C Act. The other
comment supported the new regulation
and criticized the delay in its issuance.
Neither comment sought a delay in the
effective date of that new regulation.
Thirteen of the 15 comments
submitted to the docket related to the
amendments to FDA’s existing
regulations describing the types of
evidence that may be considered in
determining a medical product’s
intended use (§§ 201.128 and 801.4).
Many of these comments opposed what
they described as a broadening from the
September 25, 2015, proposed rule (see
80 FR 57756 at 57764 to 57765) of the
types of evidence that could be
considered in determining intended use,
and specifically raised concerns with
the ‘‘totality of the evidence’’ language
included in the final rule. Several of
these comments urged a narrowing of
the types of evidence that could be
considered in determining intended use.
Some comments stated that only
promotional or external claims should
be included in the consideration of
intended use, while other comments
asserted that scientific exchange,
truthful non-misleading
communications, and/or mere
knowledge of unapproved use should be
expressly excluded from consideration.
In contrast, a few comments stated that
the types of evidence included in the
final rule were appropriate at least for
certain subsets of medical products,
such as wholly unapproved medical
products and non-prescription devices.
Several comments raised legal
concerns with the final rule, including
arguments to the effect that the rule: (1)
Violates the First Amendment by
regulating truthful speech regarding
lawful activity; (2) violates the due
process clause of the Fifth Amendment
to the extent that the types of evidence
to be considered are not clearly defined;
(3) unlawfully interferes with the
practice of medicine; and (4) departs
from relevant statutory text, legislative
history, case law, and FDA past
practices. Several comments asserted
that the January 9, 2017, final rule was
issued in violation of the notice
requirement under the Administrative
Procedure Act (APA) based on the
inclusion of the ‘‘totality of the
evidence’’ language in that final rule.
In addition to these legal concerns,
several comments asserted that the final
rule could have potentially negative
public health implications, including
impeding important communications
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between manufacturers and patients,
healthcare professionals, and payors;
reducing healthcare options for patients;
and harming patient outcomes. In
contrast, another comment asserted that
narrowing the scope of evidence of
intended use could jeopardize the
Agency’s ability to take enforcement
actions against illicit substances,
counterfeit products, and synthetic
drugs, among other products.
Based on some of the above concerns,
several comments urged FDA to stay
indefinitely or revoke the final rule.
Other comments recommended that
FDA adopt the ‘‘intended use’’ language
proposed in the September 25, 2015,
proposed rule, or engage in a new
rulemaking.
III. Scope of and Rationale for the
Proposed Partial Delay of the Effective
Date of the Final Rule
We are proposing to delay the
effective date of the portions of the final
rule amending the existing medical
product ‘‘intended use’’ regulations
(§§ 201.128 and 801.4) until further
notice, to allow for additional
consideration of the issues raised in the
comments described above. This action
should not be construed to indicate that
FDA has made any decisions about
either the substantive arguments made
in these comments or the issues
discussed in previous Federal Register
notifications regarding the amendments
to these ‘‘intended use’’ regulations.
When the Agency proposed
amendments to the existing intended
use regulations in 2015, the objective
was not to reflect a change in FDA’s
approach regarding evidence of
intended use for drugs and devices.
These proposed amendments were
intended to better reflect FDA’s existing
interpretation and application of these
regulations (see 80 FR 57756 at 57761).
Specifically, the amendments were
intended to clarify that FDA would not
regard a firm as intending an
unapproved new use for an approved or
cleared drug or device based solely on
that firm’s knowledge that its product
was being prescribed or used by doctors
for such use (see 80 FR 57756 at 57761).
FDA proposed to delete the last
sentence of the intended use regulations
to provide this clarification, in addition
to some other changes.
In the Federal Register of January 9,
2017, we published final regulations
adding new § 1100.5 to title 21 of the
CFR and amending the intended use
regulations found at §§ 201.128 and
801.4. The provisions in the final rule
amending the intended use regulations
were modified from the proposed rule
because of comments we received that
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suggested to us that the proposed
changes might not provide adequate
clarity to manufacturers (see 82 FR 2193
at 2207). Significant comments were
submitted on the proposed rule that
indicated misunderstanding of the very
limited scope of what FDA intended by
the proposed changes to the intended
use provisions.
In response to the new language in the
final rule, a petition raising concerns
with the final language was submitted
by various industry organizations on
February 8, 2017 (‘‘petition’’ and
‘‘petitioners’’). The petition requests
that FDA reconsider the amendments to
the ‘‘intended use’’ regulations and
issue a new final rule that, with respect
to the intended use regulations at
§§ 201.128 and 801.4, reverts to the
language of the September 25, 2015,
proposed rule. The petition also
requests that FDA indefinitely stay the
rule. Petitioners ask that the final rule
be stayed indefinitely and reconsidered
for two independent reasons (petition at
pg. 10). First, they argue that the final
rule was issued in violation of the fair
notice requirement under the
Administrative Procedure Act (APA)
(petition at pgs. 10–13). Second, they
argue that the ‘‘totality of the evidence’’
language in the final rule is a new and
unsupported legal standard (petition at
pgs. 10, 13–21). The petitioners contend
that the final rule unexpectedly
expanded the understanding of
intended use, and that adding the new
final sentence referencing the ‘‘totality
of the evidence’’ was a reversal of the
proposed rule that violates the APA’s
notice-and-comment provisions
(petition at pg. 11). Petitioners express
the view that the wording used in the
proposed rule would have helped to
address substantial concerns they have
regarding FDA’s intended use
definitions, while the final rule
exacerbates those concerns (petition at
pg. 11). These concerns include
constitutional concerns (petition at pg.
19–21), and public health concerns
related to chilling valuable scientific
speech (petition at pg. 21). Based in part
on the questions raised by the petition,
we further delayed the effective date of
the final rule until March 19, 2018, and
reopened the docket to invite additional
public comment on the rule.
The issues raised by the petition, as
well as the comments we have received
on the 2015 proposed rule, the January
2017 delay of the effective date, and the
March 2017 delay of the effective date
(discussed above in section II)
underscore for FDA the potential for
confusion related to the language in the
final rule. ‘‘Intended use’’ is
fundamental to medical product
jurisdiction under the FD&C Act (21
U.S.C. 321(g) (definition of ‘‘drug’’) and
21 U.S.C. 321(h) (definition of
‘‘device’’)). Lack of clarity regarding the
text of the final rule might affect FDA’s
medical product jurisdiction in ways
that FDA did not intend when it set out
to clarify one point regarding ‘‘intended
use.’’ Although FDA remains committed
to the goal of the intended use
rulemaking because it reflects current
agency policy, FDA has tentatively
concluded, for the reasons set forth
above, that the Agency needs additional
time for further consideration. FDA
continues to work diligently on the
issues relating to intended use raised in
the underlying rulemaking and remains
committed to rulemaking on this issue.
FDA does not propose to further delay
the effective date of the portions of the
final rule that issued a new regulation
that describes the circumstances in
which a product made or derived from
tobacco that is intended for human
consumption will be subject to
regulation as a drug, device, or a
combination product (§ 1100.5). As
noted, the Agency did not receive any
comments requesting that we further
delay the effective date of § 1100.5 or
that we make any changes to that
regulation. The effective date of § 1100.5
remains March 19, 2018.
IV. Economic Analysis of Impacts
We have examined the impacts of the
proposed rule under Executive Order
12866, Executive Order 13563,
Executive Order 13771, the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601–612), and
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of
1995 (Pub. L. 104–4). Executive Orders
12866 and 13563 direct us to assess all
costs and benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, when regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety,
and other advantages; distributive
impacts; and equity). Executive Order
13771 requires that the costs associated
with significant new regulations ‘‘shall,
to the extent permitted by law, be offset
by the elimination of existing costs
associated with at least two prior
regulations.’’ We believe that this
proposed rule is not a significant
regulatory action as defined by
Executive Order 12866. Moreover, this
proposed rule is an action that does not
impose more than de minimis costs and,
consequently, is not a regulatory or
deregulatory action for the purposes of
Executive Order 13771.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act
requires us to analyze regulatory options
that would minimize any significant
impact of a rule on small entities.
Because we expect the proposed rule to
impose negligible costs, if any, we
propose to certify that the rule will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
of 1995 (section 202(a)) requires us to
prepare a written statement, which
includes an assessment of anticipated
costs and benefits, before proposing
‘‘any rule that includes any Federal
mandate that may result in the
expenditure by State, local, and tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector, of $100,000,000 or more
(adjusted annually for inflation) in any
one year.’’ The current threshold after
adjustment for inflation is $148 million,
using the most current (2016) Implicit
Price Deflator for the Gross Domestic
Product. This proposed rule would not
result in expenditure in any year that
meets or exceeds this amount.
In table 1, we provide the Regulatory
Information Service Center and Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs
Consolidated Information Center
accounting information.
TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF BENEFITS, COSTS AND DISTRIBUTIONAL EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED RULE
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
Units
Category
Primary
estimate
Low
estimate
High
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Annualized ...................................
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Annualized ...................................
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2016
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TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF BENEFITS, COSTS AND DISTRIBUTIONAL EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED RULE—Continued
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estimate
High
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........................
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Annualized ...................................
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Annualized ...................................
Quantified ....................................
Qualitative ....................................
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Federal .........................................
Annualized ...................................
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dollars
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rate
(%)
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covered
(years)
Notes
Negligible costs, if any.
........................
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Monetized $/year .........................
From:
Other ............................................
Annualized ...................................
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........................
Monetized $/year .........................
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To:
From:
........................
........................
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........................
To:
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
Effects:
State, Local or Tribal Government: None
Small Business: None
Wages: None
Growth: None
On January 9, 2017, we published the
final rule ‘‘Clarification of When
Products Made or Derived from Tobacco
are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or
Combination Products; Amendments to
Regulations Regarding ‘Intended Uses’.’’
We refer to this final rule as the
Clarifications Final Rule in this section
of the preamble. The Clarifications Final
Rule included changes to the ‘‘intended
uses’’ provisions for medical products.
In the Federal Register of March 20,
2017, we further delayed the effective
date of the final rule—we extended the
effective date of the Clarifications Final
Rule to March 19, 2018 and reopened
the docket to invite public comments on
the medical products ‘‘intended uses’’
provisions. Comments submitted to the
docket revealed a number of
stakeholders had questions and
concerns about possible implications of
our revised ‘‘intended uses’’ provisions
for medical products. Thus, the
proposed rule would delay until further
notice the changes to the ‘‘intended
uses’’ provisions in the Clarifications
Final Rule, and give all stakeholders
and FDA sufficient time to consider the
substantive issues raised by the
comments to the docket.
When we conducted our economic
analysis of the final rule that published
on January 9, 2017, we expected that the
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benefits and costs of the rule for drug
sponsors and for device manufacturers
would be negligible, if any, because we
anticipated that the final rule would
leave the existing policies for these
industries unchanged. As discussed in
section II, we revised the intended use
provisions for medical products in the
final rule to clarify our position that the
intended use of a medical products can
be based on any relevant source of
evidence, including a variety of direct
and circumstantial evidence. Thus, we
expected that the final rule would
maintain the status quo and not impact
current business practices.
Comments submitted to the reopened
docket for the January 9, 2017, final rule
indicate that at least some of the
medical products industries believe that
the final rule would change current
practices and impose new burdens not
captured in our final regulatory impact
analysis. By delaying the final rule’s
intended use provisions for medical
products, this proposed rule would
maintain the status quo for medical
products.
We judge that the proposed rule, if
finalized, would thus avoid any
potential unintended burden caused by
the final rule. Moreover, drug sponsors
and medical device manufacturers
would likely learn about the proposed
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rule through industry news sources and
not incur one-time costs to learn about
the rule. We request comment on our
assumptions.
V. Analysis of Environmental Impact
We have determined under 21 CFR
25.20(h) that this action is of a type that
does not individually or cumulatively
have a significant effect on the human
environment. Therefore, neither an
environmental assessment nor an
environmental impact statement is
required.
VI. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
FDA has determined that this
proposed rule contains no collection of
information as defined by 5 CFR
1320.3(c). Therefore, clearance by the
Office of Management and Budget under
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 is
not required.
VII. Federalism
We have analyzed this proposed rule
in accordance with the principles set
forth in Executive Order 13132. We
have determined that this proposed rule
does not contain policies that have
substantial direct effects on the States,
on the relationship between the
National Government and the States, or
on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
E:\FR\FM\16JAP1.SGM
16JAP1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 10 / Tuesday, January 16, 2018 / Proposed Rules
levels of government. Accordingly, we
conclude that the rule does not contain
policies that have federalism
implications as defined in the Executive
Order and, consequently, a federalism
summary impact statement is not
required.
VIII. Consultation and Coordination
With Indian Tribal Governments
We have analyzed this proposed rule
in accordance with the principles set
forth in Executive Order 13175. We
have tentatively determined that the
rule does not contain policies that
would have a substantial direct effect on
one or more Indian Tribes, on the
relationship between the Federal
Government and Indian Tribes, or on
the distribution of power and
responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian Tribes. The
Agency solicits comments from tribal
officials on any potential impact on
Indian Tribes from this proposed action.
IX. Other Issues for Consideration
This proposed rule would only delay
the effective date of the portions of a
final rule amending the ‘‘intended use’’
regulations for medical products
(§§ 201.128 and 801.4), published in the
Federal Register of January 9, 2017.
Therefore, comments to this proposed
rule should pertain to this delay of the
effective date only with respect to such
provisions.
X. Request for Comments
FDA is proposing to delay, until
further notice, the effective date of the
amendments to §§ 201.128 and 801.4
that were published at 82 FR 2193 on
January 9, 2017. FDA had previously
delayed the effective date on February 7,
2017 (82 FR 9501), and on March 20,
2017 (82 FR 14319). FDA requests
comment on this proposal to further
delay the effective date of the
amendments to §§ 201.128 and 801.4.
Dated: January 10, 2018.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018–00555 Filed 1–12–18; 8:45 am]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R01–OAR–2017–0697; FRL–9972–98–
Region 1]
Air Plan Approval; Connecticut;
Revision of the Low Emission Vehicles
Program
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a
State Implementation Plan (SIP)
revision submitted by the State of
Connecticut on December 14, 2015. This
SIP revision includes Connecticut’s
revised regulation for new motor vehicle
emission standards. Connecticut has
updated its rule to be consistent with
various updates made to California’s
low emission vehicle (LEV) program.
The Connecticut LEV regulations also
include updates to the zero emission
vehicle (ZEV) provision. Connecticut
has adopted these revisions to reduce
emissions of volatile organic
compounds (VOC), particulate matter
(PM), and nitrogen oxides (NOX) in
accordance with the requirements of the
Clean Air Act (CAA), as well as to
reduce greenhouse gases. The intended
effect of this action is to propose
approval of Connecticut’s December 14,
2015 SIP revision. This action is being
taken under the CAA.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before February 15, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R01–
OAR–2017–0697 at
www.regulations.gov, or via email to
rackauskas.eric@epa.gov. For comments
submitted at Regulations.gov, follow the
online instructions for submitting
comments. Once submitted, comments
cannot be edited or removed from
Regulations.gov. For either manner of
submission, the EPA may publish any
comment received to its public docket.
Do not submit electronically any
information you consider to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI)
or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written comment.
The written comment is considered the
official comment and should include
discussion of all points you wish to
make. The EPA will generally not
consider comments or comment
contents located outside of the primary
submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or
other file sharing system). For
SUMMARY:
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2097
additional submission methods, please
contact the person identified in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
For the full EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epadockets. Publicly available docket
materials are available at
www.regulations.gov or at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA
New England Regional Office, Office of
Ecosystem Protection, Air Quality
Planning Unit, 5 Post Office Square—
Suite 100, Boston, MA. EPA requests
that if at all possible, you contact the
contact listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section to
schedule your inspection. The Regional
Office’s official hours of business are
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., excluding legal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric
Rackauskas, Air Quality Planning Unit,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA New England Regional Office, 5
Post Office Square, Suite 100 (mail
code: OEP05–2), Boston, MA 02109–
3912, telephone number (617) 918–
1628, fax number (617) 918–0628, email
rackauskas.eric@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document whenever
‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
EPA.
Table of Contents
I. Background and Purpose
II. The California LEV Program
III. Relevant EPA and CAA Requirements
IV. Proposed Action
V. Incorporation by Reference
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Background and Purpose
On December 14, 2015, the
Connecticut Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection (DEEP)
submitted a revision to its SIP
consisting of the amended Section 22a–
174–36b ‘‘Low Emission Vehicle II
Program’’ (LEV II) and the newly
adopted Section 22a–174–36c ‘‘Low
Emission Vehicle III Program’’ (LEV III)
of the Regulations of Connecticut State
Agencies (RCSA). This SIP revision
proposes to adopt regulations to mirror
the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) emission limits for new
passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and
medium-duty passenger vehicles sold,
leased, imported, delivered, purchased,
rented, acquired, or received in the State
of Connecticut. Connecticut’s amended
LEV II and adopted LEV III programs
were submitted as part of an overall
revision to their ‘‘infrastructure SIP’’ for
the 2012 Fine Particle (PM2.5) National
E:\FR\FM\16JAP1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 16, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2092-2097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00555]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Parts 201, 801, and 1100
[Docket No. FDA-2015-N-2002]
RIN 0910-AH94
Clarification of When Products Made or Derived From Tobacco Are
Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination Products; Amendments to
Regulations Regarding ``Intended Uses''; Proposed Partial Delay of
Effective Date
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
[[Page 2093]]
ACTION: Proposed rule; partial delay of effective date.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is
proposing to delay the effective date of certain portions of a final
rule published in the Federal Register of January 9, 2017. In the
Federal Register of February 7, 2017, we delayed until March 21, 2017,
the effective date of the final rule. In the Federal Register of March
20, 2017, we further delayed the effective date of the final rule until
March 19, 2018, and invited public comment on the rule. This action, if
finalized, will delay until further notice the effective date of the
portions of the final rule amending FDA's existing regulations
describing the types of evidence that may be considered in determining
a medical product's intended uses. FDA received a number of comments on
the final rule that raise questions about the amendments to the
existing medical product ``intended use'' regulations. FDA is proposing
to delay the effective date of the amendments to the existing medical
product ``intended use'' regulations to allow further consideration of
the substantive issues raised in the comments received. This action, if
finalized, will not further delay the effective date of the new
regulation that describes the circumstances in which a product made or
derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption will be
subject to regulation as a drug, device, or a combination product under
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on this proposed
rule by February 5, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposed rule for partial
delay as follows. Electronic comments must be submitted on or before
February 5, 2018. The https://www.regulations.gov electronic filing
system will accept comments until midnight Eastern Time at the end of
February 5, 2018. Comments received by mail/hand delivery/courier (for
written/paper submissions) will be considered timely if they are
postmarked or the delivery service acceptance receipt is on or before
that date. Please note that late, untimely filed comments will not be
considered.
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-2015-N-2002 for ``Clarification of When Products Made or Derived
from Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination Products;
Amendments to Regulations Regarding `Intended Uses'; Proposed Partial
Delay of Effective Date.'' Received comments, those filed in a timely
manner (see ADDRESSES), 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.gpo.gov/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: Kelley Nduom, Center for Drug
Evaluation and Research, Office of Regulatory Policy, Food and Drug
Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 51, Rm. 6221, Silver
Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-8597, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In the Federal Register of January 9, 2017 (82 FR 2193), FDA
published a final rule entitled ``Clarification of When Products Made
or Derived From Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination
Products; Amendments to Regulations Regarding `Intended Uses.' '' The
final rule added a new regulation (Sec. 1100.5) to title 21 of the CFR
to describe the circumstances in which a product made or derived from
tobacco that is intended for human consumption will be subject to
regulation as a drug, device, or a combination product under the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The rule also amended
FDA's existing regulations describing the types of evidence that may be
considered in determining a medical product's intended uses (21 CFR
201.128 (drugs) and 21 CFR 801.4 (devices)).
[[Page 2094]]
In the Federal Register of February 7, 2017 (82 FR 9501), in
accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant
to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze
Pending Review,'' we delayed, until March 21, 2017, the effective date
of the final rule. In the Federal Register of March 20, 2017 (82 FR
14319), we further delayed the effective date of the final rule until
March 19, 2018, and reopened the docket to invite additional public
comment on the rule.
The comments we received are summarized below. To allow further
consideration of the substantive issues raised in these comments, FDA
is proposing to delay the effective date of the amendments to the
existing medical product ``intended use'' regulations (Sec. Sec.
201.128 and 801.4) contained in the final rule of January 9, 2017,
until further notice. See 21 CFR 10.35(a) and (b) (stating that FDA
``may at any time stay or extend the effective date of an action
pending or following a decision on any matter'' and recognizing that
the stay may be ``for an indefinite time period''). The Agency must
solicit public comment on this proposed delay, consider the comments
submitted, and prepare and publish a final notification of the delay
before March 19, 2018, when the final rule is scheduled to take effect.
In light of this limited timeframe, it is impracticable to provide 60
days for comment on this proposed delay. Thus, the Commissioner of Food
and Drugs finds good cause under 21 CFR 10.40(b)(2) for providing a
shortened comment period, ending February 5, 2018. In light of the date
on which the current delay of the effective date will expire unless
further extended, no extensions on the comment period will be granted.
II. Summary of Comments Received in the Reopened Docket of the Final
Rule
Fifteen comments were submitted to the docket for the January 9,
2017 final rule after the docket was reopened on March 20, 2017. These
comments were submitted by the drug and device industries, various
associations, academia, and individual submitters including a health
professional and a consumer. A brief summary of these comments is
included below.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This summary is not intended to be a comprehensive
discussion of the comments nor should it be construed to suggest
that FDA has made any decisions about the substantive issues raised
in the comments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two of the comments submitted to the docket related to the new
regulation included in the final rule that describes circumstances in
which a product made or derived from tobacco that is intended for human
consumption will be subject to regulation as a drug, device, or a
combination product under the FD&C Act (Sec. 1100.5). One comment
criticized the modified risk tobacco product provisions of the FD&C
Act. The other comment supported the new regulation and criticized the
delay in its issuance. Neither comment sought a delay in the effective
date of that new regulation.
Thirteen of the 15 comments submitted to the docket related to the
amendments to FDA's existing regulations describing the types of
evidence that may be considered in determining a medical product's
intended use (Sec. Sec. 201.128 and 801.4). Many of these comments
opposed what they described as a broadening from the September 25,
2015, proposed rule (see 80 FR 57756 at 57764 to 57765) of the types of
evidence that could be considered in determining intended use, and
specifically raised concerns with the ``totality of the evidence''
language included in the final rule. Several of these comments urged a
narrowing of the types of evidence that could be considered in
determining intended use. Some comments stated that only promotional or
external claims should be included in the consideration of intended
use, while other comments asserted that scientific exchange, truthful
non-misleading communications, and/or mere knowledge of unapproved use
should be expressly excluded from consideration. In contrast, a few
comments stated that the types of evidence included in the final rule
were appropriate at least for certain subsets of medical products, such
as wholly unapproved medical products and non-prescription devices.
Several comments raised legal concerns with the final rule,
including arguments to the effect that the rule: (1) Violates the First
Amendment by regulating truthful speech regarding lawful activity; (2)
violates the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment to the extent
that the types of evidence to be considered are not clearly defined;
(3) unlawfully interferes with the practice of medicine; and (4)
departs from relevant statutory text, legislative history, case law,
and FDA past practices. Several comments asserted that the January 9,
2017, final rule was issued in violation of the notice requirement
under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) based on the inclusion of
the ``totality of the evidence'' language in that final rule.
In addition to these legal concerns, several comments asserted that
the final rule could have potentially negative public health
implications, including impeding important communications between
manufacturers and patients, healthcare professionals, and payors;
reducing healthcare options for patients; and harming patient outcomes.
In contrast, another comment asserted that narrowing the scope of
evidence of intended use could jeopardize the Agency's ability to take
enforcement actions against illicit substances, counterfeit products,
and synthetic drugs, among other products.
Based on some of the above concerns, several comments urged FDA to
stay indefinitely or revoke the final rule. Other comments recommended
that FDA adopt the ``intended use'' language proposed in the September
25, 2015, proposed rule, or engage in a new rulemaking.
III. Scope of and Rationale for the Proposed Partial Delay of the
Effective Date of the Final Rule
We are proposing to delay the effective date of the portions of the
final rule amending the existing medical product ``intended use''
regulations (Sec. Sec. 201.128 and 801.4) until further notice, to
allow for additional consideration of the issues raised in the comments
described above. This action should not be construed to indicate that
FDA has made any decisions about either the substantive arguments made
in these comments or the issues discussed in previous Federal Register
notifications regarding the amendments to these ``intended use''
regulations.
When the Agency proposed amendments to the existing intended use
regulations in 2015, the objective was not to reflect a change in FDA's
approach regarding evidence of intended use for drugs and devices.
These proposed amendments were intended to better reflect FDA's
existing interpretation and application of these regulations (see 80 FR
57756 at 57761). Specifically, the amendments were intended to clarify
that FDA would not regard a firm as intending an unapproved new use for
an approved or cleared drug or device based solely on that firm's
knowledge that its product was being prescribed or used by doctors for
such use (see 80 FR 57756 at 57761). FDA proposed to delete the last
sentence of the intended use regulations to provide this clarification,
in addition to some other changes.
In the Federal Register of January 9, 2017, we published final
regulations adding new Sec. 1100.5 to title 21 of the CFR and amending
the intended use regulations found at Sec. Sec. 201.128 and 801.4. The
provisions in the final rule amending the intended use regulations were
modified from the proposed rule because of comments we received that
[[Page 2095]]
suggested to us that the proposed changes might not provide adequate
clarity to manufacturers (see 82 FR 2193 at 2207). Significant comments
were submitted on the proposed rule that indicated misunderstanding of
the very limited scope of what FDA intended by the proposed changes to
the intended use provisions.
In response to the new language in the final rule, a petition
raising concerns with the final language was submitted by various
industry organizations on February 8, 2017 (``petition'' and
``petitioners''). The petition requests that FDA reconsider the
amendments to the ``intended use'' regulations and issue a new final
rule that, with respect to the intended use regulations at Sec. Sec.
201.128 and 801.4, reverts to the language of the September 25, 2015,
proposed rule. The petition also requests that FDA indefinitely stay
the rule. Petitioners ask that the final rule be stayed indefinitely
and reconsidered for two independent reasons (petition at pg. 10).
First, they argue that the final rule was issued in violation of the
fair notice requirement under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)
(petition at pgs. 10-13). Second, they argue that the ``totality of the
evidence'' language in the final rule is a new and unsupported legal
standard (petition at pgs. 10, 13-21). The petitioners contend that the
final rule unexpectedly expanded the understanding of intended use, and
that adding the new final sentence referencing the ``totality of the
evidence'' was a reversal of the proposed rule that violates the APA's
notice-and-comment provisions (petition at pg. 11). Petitioners express
the view that the wording used in the proposed rule would have helped
to address substantial concerns they have regarding FDA's intended use
definitions, while the final rule exacerbates those concerns (petition
at pg. 11). These concerns include constitutional concerns (petition at
pg. 19-21), and public health concerns related to chilling valuable
scientific speech (petition at pg. 21). Based in part on the questions
raised by the petition, we further delayed the effective date of the
final rule until March 19, 2018, and reopened the docket to invite
additional public comment on the rule.
The issues raised by the petition, as well as the comments we have
received on the 2015 proposed rule, the January 2017 delay of the
effective date, and the March 2017 delay of the effective date
(discussed above in section II) underscore for FDA the potential for
confusion related to the language in the final rule. ``Intended use''
is fundamental to medical product jurisdiction under the FD&C Act (21
U.S.C. 321(g) (definition of ``drug'') and 21 U.S.C. 321(h) (definition
of ``device'')). Lack of clarity regarding the text of the final rule
might affect FDA's medical product jurisdiction in ways that FDA did
not intend when it set out to clarify one point regarding ``intended
use.'' Although FDA remains committed to the goal of the intended use
rulemaking because it reflects current agency policy, FDA has
tentatively concluded, for the reasons set forth above, that the Agency
needs additional time for further consideration. FDA continues to work
diligently on the issues relating to intended use raised in the
underlying rulemaking and remains committed to rulemaking on this
issue.
FDA does not propose to further delay the effective date of the
portions of the final rule that issued a new regulation that describes
the circumstances in which a product made or derived from tobacco that
is intended for human consumption will be subject to regulation as a
drug, device, or a combination product (Sec. 1100.5). As noted, the
Agency did not receive any comments requesting that we further delay
the effective date of Sec. 1100.5 or that we make any changes to that
regulation. The effective date of Sec. 1100.5 remains March 19, 2018.
IV. Economic Analysis of Impacts
We have examined the impacts of the proposed rule under Executive
Order 12866, Executive Order 13563, Executive Order 13771, the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), and the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4). Executive Orders 12866 and
13563 direct us to assess all costs and benefits of available
regulatory alternatives and, when regulation is necessary, to select
regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity). Executive Order 13771
requires that the costs associated with significant new regulations
``shall, to the extent permitted by law, be offset by the elimination
of existing costs associated with at least two prior regulations.'' We
believe that this proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action
as defined by Executive Order 12866. Moreover, this proposed rule is an
action that does not impose more than de minimis costs and,
consequently, is not a regulatory or deregulatory action for the
purposes of Executive Order 13771.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires us to analyze regulatory
options that would minimize any significant impact of a rule on small
entities. Because we expect the proposed rule to impose negligible
costs, if any, we propose to certify that the rule will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (section 202(a)) requires
us to prepare a written statement, which includes an assessment of
anticipated costs and benefits, before proposing ``any rule that
includes any Federal mandate that may result in the expenditure by
State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector, of $100,000,000 or more (adjusted annually for
inflation) in any one year.'' The current threshold after adjustment
for inflation is $148 million, using the most current (2016) Implicit
Price Deflator for the Gross Domestic Product. This proposed rule would
not result in expenditure in any year that meets or exceeds this
amount.
In table 1, we provide the Regulatory Information Service Center
and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Consolidated
Information Center accounting information.
Table 1--Summary of Benefits, Costs and Distributional Effects of the Proposed Rule
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units
---------------------------------
Category Primary estimate Low estimate High estimate Period Notes
Year Discount covered
dollars rate (%) (years)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benefits:
Annualized................. .................... .................... .................... 2016 7 10 ....................
Monetized $millions/year... .................... .................... .................... 2016 3 10 ....................
Annualized................. .................... .................... .................... 2016 7 10 ....................
[[Page 2096]]
Quantified................. .................... .................... .................... 2016 3 10 ....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualitative................ None ....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Costs:
Annualized................. .................... .................... .................... 2016 7 10 ....................
Monetized $millions/year... .................... .................... .................... 2016 3 10 ....................
Annualized................. .................... .................... .................... 2016 7 10 ....................
Quantified................. .................... .................... .................... 2016 3 10 ....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualitative................ Negligible costs, if any. ....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transfers:
Federal.................... .................... .................... .................... 2016 7 10 ....................
Annualized................ .................... .................... .................... 2016 3 10 ....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monetized $/year........... From:
To: .........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other...................... .................... .................... .................... 2016 3 10 ....................
Annualized................. .................... .................... .................... 2016 3 10 ....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monetized $/year........... From:
To: .........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Effects:
State, Local or Tribal Government: None
Small Business: None
Wages: None
Growth: None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On January 9, 2017, we published the final rule ``Clarification of
When Products Made or Derived from Tobacco are Regulated as Drugs,
Devices, or Combination Products; Amendments to Regulations Regarding
`Intended Uses'.'' We refer to this final rule as the Clarifications
Final Rule in this section of the preamble. The Clarifications Final
Rule included changes to the ``intended uses'' provisions for medical
products. In the Federal Register of March 20, 2017, we further delayed
the effective date of the final rule--we extended the effective date of
the Clarifications Final Rule to March 19, 2018 and reopened the docket
to invite public comments on the medical products ``intended uses''
provisions. Comments submitted to the docket revealed a number of
stakeholders had questions and concerns about possible implications of
our revised ``intended uses'' provisions for medical products. Thus,
the proposed rule would delay until further notice the changes to the
``intended uses'' provisions in the Clarifications Final Rule, and give
all stakeholders and FDA sufficient time to consider the substantive
issues raised by the comments to the docket.
When we conducted our economic analysis of the final rule that
published on January 9, 2017, we expected that the benefits and costs
of the rule for drug sponsors and for device manufacturers would be
negligible, if any, because we anticipated that the final rule would
leave the existing policies for these industries unchanged. As
discussed in section II, we revised the intended use provisions for
medical products in the final rule to clarify our position that the
intended use of a medical products can be based on any relevant source
of evidence, including a variety of direct and circumstantial evidence.
Thus, we expected that the final rule would maintain the status quo and
not impact current business practices.
Comments submitted to the reopened docket for the January 9, 2017,
final rule indicate that at least some of the medical products
industries believe that the final rule would change current practices
and impose new burdens not captured in our final regulatory impact
analysis. By delaying the final rule's intended use provisions for
medical products, this proposed rule would maintain the status quo for
medical products.
We judge that the proposed rule, if finalized, would thus avoid any
potential unintended burden caused by the final rule. Moreover, drug
sponsors and medical device manufacturers would likely learn about the
proposed rule through industry news sources and not incur one-time
costs to learn about the rule. We request comment on our assumptions.
V. Analysis of Environmental Impact
We have determined under 21 CFR 25.20(h) that this action is of a
type that does not individually or cumulatively have a significant
effect on the human environment. Therefore, neither an environmental
assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required.
VI. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
FDA has determined that this proposed rule contains no collection
of information as defined by 5 CFR 1320.3(c). Therefore, clearance by
the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 is not required.
VII. Federalism
We have analyzed this proposed rule in accordance with the
principles set forth in Executive Order 13132. We have determined that
this proposed rule does not contain policies that have substantial
direct effects on the States, on the relationship between the National
Government and the States, or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
[[Page 2097]]
levels of government. Accordingly, we conclude that the rule does not
contain policies that have federalism implications as defined in the
Executive Order and, consequently, a federalism summary impact
statement is not required.
VIII. Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments
We have analyzed this proposed rule in accordance with the
principles set forth in Executive Order 13175. We have tentatively
determined that the rule does not contain policies that would have a
substantial direct effect on one or more Indian Tribes, on the
relationship between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes, or on
the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian Tribes. The Agency solicits comments from tribal
officials on any potential impact on Indian Tribes from this proposed
action.
IX. Other Issues for Consideration
This proposed rule would only delay the effective date of the
portions of a final rule amending the ``intended use'' regulations for
medical products (Sec. Sec. 201.128 and 801.4), published in the
Federal Register of January 9, 2017. Therefore, comments to this
proposed rule should pertain to this delay of the effective date only
with respect to such provisions.
X. Request for Comments
FDA is proposing to delay, until further notice, the effective date
of the amendments to Sec. Sec. 201.128 and 801.4 that were published
at 82 FR 2193 on January 9, 2017. FDA had previously delayed the
effective date on February 7, 2017 (82 FR 9501), and on March 20, 2017
(82 FR 14319). FDA requests comment on this proposal to further delay
the effective date of the amendments to Sec. Sec. 201.128 and 801.4.
Dated: January 10, 2018.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-00555 Filed 1-12-18; 8:45 am]
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