Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau August 17, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled ``Rare Diseases: Common Issues in Drug Development.'' The purpose of this draft guidance is to advance and facilitate the development of drugs and biologics to treat rare diseases. Drug development for rare diseases has many challenges related to the nature of these diseases. This draft guidance is intended to assist sponsors of drug and biological products for treating rare diseases in conducting more efficient and successful development programs.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of the guidance entitled ``Endotoxin Testing Recommendations for Single-Use Intraocular Ophthalmic Devices.'' National outbreaks of Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS) have been associated with single-use intraocular ophthalmic devices (IODs) and single-use intraocular ophthalmic surgical instruments/accessories that are contaminated with endotoxins. These devices can become contaminated as part of the manufacturing, sterilization, or packaging processes. This guidance document provides recommendations for endotoxin limits as well as endotoxin testing to manufacturers and other entities involved in submitting premarket applications (PMAs) or premarket notification submissions (510(k)s) for different categories of IODs to mitigate future outbreaks of TASS.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the computerized cognitive assessment aid into class II (special controls). The special controls that will apply to the device are identified in this order, and will be part of the codified language for the computerized cognitive assessment aid's classification. The Agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of grant funds for the support of Natural History Database Development. The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is developing an Internet-based data collection tool with promise to further the accumulation of natural history data for many rare diseases. The goal of this grant is to enable NORD to further develop, refine, and disseminate the database tool.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the following public workshop entitled ``Physiological Closed-Loop Controlled (PCLC) Devices.'' The topic to be discussed is challenges related to the design, development, and evaluation of critical care PCLC devices. FDA considers PCLC devices an emerging technology and aims to hold a workshop focusing on design, development and performance evaluation of PCLC systems intended for use in critical care environments. Such devices include closed-loop anesthetic delivery, closed-loop vasoactive drug and fluid delivery, and closed-loop mechanical ventilation. Dates and Times: The public workshop will be held on October 13 and 14, 2015, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: The public workshop will be held at FDA's White Oak Campus, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Building 31 Conference Center, Rm. 1503 (The Great Room), Silver Spring, MD 20993. Entrance for the public meeting participants (non-FDA employees) is through Building 1 where routine security check procedures will be performed. For parking and security information, please refer to http:/ /www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/WorkingatFDA/BuildingsandFacilities/ WhiteOakCampusInformation/ucm241740.htm. Contact Persons: Bahram Parvinian, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 66, Rm. 2534, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-6445, email: Bahram.Parvinian@fda.hhs.gov; and Allison Kumar, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 66, Rm. 5402, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-6369, email: Allison.Kumar@fda.hhs.gov. Registration: Registration is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Persons interested in attending this public workshop must register online by 4 p.m., October 1, 2015. Early registration is recommended because facilities are limited and, therefore, FDA may limit the number of participants from each organization. If time and space permits, onsite registration on the day of the public workshop will be provided beginning at 7 a.m. If you need special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Susan Monahan, Office of Communication and Education (OCE), Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, 301-796-5661, email: susan.monahan@fda.hhs.gov no later than September 29, 2015. To register for the public workshop, please visit FDA's Medical Devices News & EventsWorkshops & Conferences calendar at https:// www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/NewsEvents/WorkshopsConferences/de fault.htm. (Select this meeting/public workshop from the posted events list.) Please provide complete contact information for each attendee, including name, title, affiliation, address, email, and telephone number. Those without Internet access should contact Susan Monahan to register. Registrants will receive confirmation after they have been accepted. You will be notified if you are on a waiting list. Streaming Webcast of the Public Workshop: This public workshop will also be Webcast. Persons interested in viewing the Webcast must register online by 4 p.m., October 1, 2015. Early registration is recommended because Webcast connections are limited. Organizations are requested to register all participants, but to view using one connection per location. Webcast participants will be sent technical system requirements after registration and will be sent connection access information after October 7, 2015. If you have never attended a Connect Pro event before, test your connection at https:// collaboration.fda.gov/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm . To get a quick overview of the Connect Pro program, visit https://www.adobe.com/ go/connectpro_overview. (FDA has verified the Web site addresses in this document, but FDA is not responsible for any subsequent changes to the Web sites after this document publishes in the Federal Register.) Requests for Oral Presentations: This public workshop includes a public comment session and topic-focused sessions. During online registration you may indicate if you wish to present during a public comment session or participate in a specific session, and which topics you wish to address. FDA has included general topics in this document. FDA will do its best to accommodate requests to make public comments. Individuals and organizations with common interests are urged to consolidate or coordinate their presentations, and request time for a joint presentation, or submit requests for designated representatives to participate in the focused sessions. Following the close of registration, FDA will determine the amount of time allotted to each presenter and the approximate time each oral presentation is to begin, and will select and notify participants by September 15, 2015. All requests to make oral presentations must be received by September 1, 2015. If selected for presentation, any presentation materials must be emailed to Bahram Parvinian and Allison Kumar (see Contact Persons) no later than October 1, 2015. No commercial or promotional material will be permitted to be presented or distributed at the public workshop. Comments: FDA is holding this public workshop to obtain information on challenges related to the design, development, and evaluation of critical care PCLC devices. In order to permit the widest possible opportunity to obtain public comment, FDA is soliciting either electronic or written comments on all aspects of the public workshop topics. The deadline for submitting comments related to this public workshop is September 1, 2015. Regardless of attendance at the public workshop, interested persons may submit either electronic comments regarding this document to http:/ /www.regulations.gov or written comments to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. It is only necessary to send one set of comments. Identify comments with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document. In addition, when responding to specific questions as outlined in section II of this document, please identify the question you are addressing. Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will be posted to the docket at https:// www.regulations.gov. Transcripts: Please be advised that as soon as a transcript is available, it will be accessible at https://www.regulations.gov. It may be viewed at the Division of Dockets Management (see Comments). A transcript will also be available in either hardcopy or on CD-ROM, after submission of a Freedom of Information request. The address of the Division of Freedom of Information is available on the Agency's Web site at https://www.fda.gov. A link to the transcripts will also be available approximately 45 days after the public workshop on the Internet at https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/NewsEvents/ WorkshopsConferences/default.htm. (Select this public workshop from the posted events list).