[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65360-65361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22775]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0155]


Veterinary Feed Directive Common Format Questions and Answers; 
Guidance for Industry; Availability

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing 
the availability of a guidance for industry #233 entitled ``Veterinary 
Feed Directive Common Format Questions and Answers.'' FDA had received 
comments requesting that we require a uniform Veterinary Feed Directive 
(VFD) form. We declined this request because we think that requiring a 
specific VFD form would be too prescriptive. However, we acknowledge 
that a common VFD format would help veterinarians, their clients (i.e., 
animal producers), and distributors (including feed mills) quickly 
identify relevant information on the VFD. We are issuing this guidance 
to recommend a common VFD format. We expect this guidance will reduce 
potential errors on VFDs.

DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on Agency guidances 
at any time.

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-2010-N-0155 for ``Veterinary Feed Directive Common Format Questions 
and Answers.'' 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.

[[Page 65361]]

    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.
    Submit written requests for single copies of the guidance to the 
Policy and Regulations Staff (HFV-6), Center for Veterinary Medicine, 
Food and Drug Administration, 7519 Standish Pl., Rockville, MD 20855. 
Send one self-addressed adhesive label to assist that office in 
processing your requests. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for 
electronic access to the guidance document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dragan Momcilovic, Center for 
Veterinary Medicine (HFV-226), Food and Drug Administration, 7519 
Standish Pl., Rockville, MD 20855, 240-402-5944, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Following publication of the proposed rule to update FDA's 
veterinary feed directive (VFD) regulation in December 2013 (78 FR 
75515), in the Federal Register of December 1, 2015 (80 FR 75119), FDA 
published the notice of availability for a draft guidance entitled 
``Veterinary Feed Directive Common Format Questions and Answers'' 
giving interested persons until February 1, 2016, to comment on the 
draft guidance. FDA received several comments on the draft guidance and 
those comments were considered as the guidance was finalized. The 
guidance announced in this notice finalizes the draft guidance dated 
December 2015.

II. Significance of Guidance

    This level 1 guidance is being issued consistent with FDA's good 
guidance practices regulation (21 CFR 10.115). The guidance represents 
the current thinking of FDA on Veterinary Feed Directive Common Format 
Questions and Answers. 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. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This guidance refers to previously approved collections of 
information found in FDA regulations. 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 514.1 have been approved under OMB 
Control No. 0910-0032. The collections of information in 21 CFR 558.6 
have been approved under OMB Control No. 0910-0363.

IV. Electronic Access

    Persons with access to the Internet may obtain the guidance at 
either http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/default.htm or http://www.regulations.gov.

    Dated: September 16, 2016.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2016-22775 Filed 9-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4164-01-P