[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 29 (Friday, February 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7543-7544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02879]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2016-D-0363]


Characterization of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene Used 
in Orthopedic Devices; Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug 
Administration Staff; Availability

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the 
availability of the draft guidance entitled ``Characterization of 
Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Used in Orthopedic 
Devices''. The guidance identifies the types of UHMWPE currently in use 
in orthopedic implants, as well as the recommended information and 
testing that should be included in premarket submissions for such 
devices. This draft guidance is not final nor is it in effect at this 
time.

DATES: Although you can comment on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 
10.115(g)(5)), to ensure that the Agency considers your comment of this 
draft guidance before it begins work on the final version of the 
guidance, submit either electronic or written comments on the draft 
guidance by May 12, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted 
electronically, including attachments, to http://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 http://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): Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
     For written/paper comments submitted to the Division of 
Dockets Management, 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-2016-D-0363 for ``Characterization of

[[Page 7544]]

Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Used in Orthopedic 
Devices.'' Received comments will be placed in the docket and, except 
for those submitted as ``Confidential Submissions,'' publicly viewable 
at http://www.regulations.gov or at the Division of Dockets Management 
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 http://www.regulations.gov. 
Submit both copies to the Division of Dockets Management. 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: http://www.fda.gov/regulatoryinformation/dockets/default.htm.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to http://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 Division of Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers 
Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
    An electronic copy of the guidance document is available for 
download from the Internet. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 
for information on electronic access to the guidance. Submit written 
requests for a single hard copy of the draft guidance document entitled 
``Characterization of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) 
Used in Orthopedic Devices'' to the Office of the Center Director, 
Guidance and Policy Development, Center for Devices and Radiological 
Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave. Bldg. 
66, Rm. 5431, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002. Send one self-addressed 
adhesive label to assist that office in processing your request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Allen, Center for Devices and 
Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire 
Ave. Bldg. 66, Rm. 1512, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 301-796-6402.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    FDA is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry 
and FDA staff entitled ``Characterization of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight 
Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Used in Orthopedic Devices''. FDA has developed 
this guidance document for members of industry who submit, and FDA 
staff who review, information regarding orthopedic devices using UHMWPE 
material. This guidance is intended to provide recommendations when 
finalized regarding the characterization and testing of orthopedic 
devices that use UHMWPE materials such as conventional UHMWPE, highly 
crosslinked UHMWPE, and highly crosslinked UHMWPE containing vitamin E. 
This document also outlines the information FDA recommends industry 
include in a submission to FDA to characterize the UHMWPE material 
(e.g., material description, sterility, biocompatibility, mechanical 
properties, and chemical properties).

II. Significance of Guidance

    This draft guidance is being issued consistent with FDA's good 
guidance practices regulation (21 CFR 10.115). The draft guidance, when 
finalized, will represent the current thinking of FDA on UHMWPE used in 
orthopedic devices. It does not establish any rights for any person and 
is not binding on FDA or the public. You can use an alternative 
approach if it satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes 
and regulations.

III. Electronic Access

    Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the draft guidance may do 
so by downloading an electronic copy from the Internet. A search 
capability for all Center for Devices and Radiological Health guidance 
documents is available at http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DeviceRegulationandGuidance/GuidanceDocuments/default.htm. Guidance 
documents are also available at http://www.regulations.gov. Persons 
unable to download an electronic copy of ``Characterization of 
Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Used in Orthopedic 
Devices'' may send an email request to [email protected] to 
receive an electronic copy of the document. Please use the document 
number 1300006 to identify the guidance you are requesting.

IV. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    The guidance document ``Characterization of Ultrahigh Molecular 
Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Used in Orthopedic Devices'' refers to 
previously approved information collections found in FDA regulations 
and guidance. These collections of information are subject to review by 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). The collections of information in 21 
CFR part 807, subpart E, are approved under OMB control number 0910-
0120; the collections of information in 21 CFR part 812 are approved 
under OMB control number 0910-0078; the collections of information in 
21 CFR part 814, subparts B and E, are approved under OMB control 
number 0910-0231; the collections of information in 21 CFR part 814, 
subpart H, are approved under OMB control number 0910-0332; and the 
collections of information in the guidance document entitled ``Requests 
for Feedback on Medical Device Submissions: The Pre-Submission Program 
and Meetings with Food and Drug Administration Staff'' are approved 
under OMB control number 0910-0756.

    Dated: February 8, 2016.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2016-02879 Filed 2-11-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4164-01-P