Department of Health and Human Services 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is adopting rules to implement certain aspects of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21b-26 (Patient Safety Act). The final rule establishes a framework by which hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers may voluntarily report information to Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), on a privileged and confidential basis, for the aggregation and analysis of patient safety events. The final rule outlines the requirements that entities must meet to become PSOs and the processes by which the Secretary will review and accept certifications and list PSOs. It also describes the privilege and confidentiality protections for the information that is assembled and developed by providers and PSOs, the exceptions to these privilege and confidentiality protections, and the procedures for the imposition of civil money penalties for the knowing or reckless impermissible disclosure of patient safety work product.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of proposed and final documents that have been prepared by Study Group 1 of the Global Harmonization Task Force (GHTF). These documents represent a harmonized proposal and recommendation from the GHTF Study Group that may be used by governments developing and updating their regulatory requirements for medical devices. These documents are intended to provide information only and do not describe FDA's current regulatory requirements; elements of these documents may not be consistent with current U.S. regulatory requirements. In particular, FDA seeks comments on the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches in the GHTF documents, particularly where they are not consistent with current practices for the manufacture of products in the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled ``Process Validation: General Principles and Practices.'' FDA is revising its guidance for industry entitled ``Guideline on General Principles of Process Validation,'' which issued in May 1987 (the 1987 guidance). The revised draft guidance promotes a ``lifecycle'' approach to process validation that includes scientifically sound design practices, robust qualification, and process verification. When finalized, this draft guidance will replace the 1987 guidance.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that a proposed collection of information has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the biologics regulations to reincorporate a regulation that was inadvertently removed. This action is being taken to correct the regulations.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined the regulatory review period for SOMATULINE DEPOT and is publishing this notice of that determination as required by law. FDA has made the determination because of the submission of an application to the Director of Patents and Trademarks, Department of Commerce, for the extension of a patent which claims that human drug product.

Section 103(d) of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Public Law 101-336, requires the Secretary to publish a list of infectious and communicable diseases that are transmitted through handling the food supply and to review and update the list annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a final list on August 16, 1991 (56 FR 40897) and updates on September 8, 1992 (57 FR 40917); January 13, 1994 (59 FR 1949); August 15, 1996 (61 FR 42426); September 22, 1997 (62 FR 49518-9); September 15, 1998 (63 FR 49359), September 21, 1999 (64 FR 51127); September 27, 2000 (65 FR 58088), September 10, 2001 (66 FR 47030), and September 27, 2002 (67 FR 61109). The final list has been reviewed in light of new information and has been revised as set forth below.

This notice announces our decision to approve the Joint Commission for continued recognition as a national accreditation program for ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) seeking to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection contained in the guidance for industry on formal meetings with sponsors and applicants for Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) products.

This notice announces an administrative hearing to be held on January 6, 2009, at the CMS Chicago Regional Office, 233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 600, Chicago, Illinois 60601 to reconsider CMS' decision to disapprove Michigan SPA 07-21.