Department of Health and Human Services April 18, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As part of the work by the Federal Government to address the epidemic of prescription and illicit opioid abuse, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is announcing a public workshop to obtain input on issues and challenges associated with Federal efforts to support training on pain management and the safe prescribing, dispensing, and patient use of opioids (safe use of opioids) for health care providers. As discussed in this document, the workshop has three main goals. First, participants will be asked to discuss the role that health care provider training plays, within the broader context of ongoing activities, to improve pain management and the safe use of opioids. Second, participants will be asked to comment on how best to provide health care providers, who prescribe or are directly involved in the management or support of patients with pain, appropriate training in pain management and the safe use of opioids. Finally, participants will be asked about the issues and challenges associated with possible changes to Federal efforts to educate health care providers on pain management and the safe use of opioids. Participants are expected to include individuals from a broad set of Federal, State, and private stakeholder groups that are working on the challenges of improving pain management while addressing the opioid abuse epidemic. The Federal Agencies participating include FDA, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Indian Health Service. Public participation and comment are encouraged.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR is for renewal of the approved information collection assigned OMB control number , scheduled to expire on . Comments submitted during the first public review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB will accept further comments from the public on this ICR during the review and approval period.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC). The general function of the committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Agency on FDA's regulatory issues. The meeting will be open to the public. FDA is establishing a docket for public comment on this document.

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) announces a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee. The general function of the committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Agency on FDA's regulatory issues. The meeting will be open to the public. FDA is establishing a docket for public comment on this document.

This rule finalizes changes that will help stabilize the individual and small group markets and affirm the traditional role of State regulators. This final rule amends standards relating to special enrollment periods, guaranteed availability, and the timing of the annual open enrollment period in the individual market for the 2018 plan year; standards related to network adequacy and essential community providers for qualified health plans; and the rules around actuarial value requirements.