[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7742-7744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03604]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2014-N-2029]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Administrative Practices and Procedures; Formal 
Evidentiary Public Hearing

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing 
an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain 
information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(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 administrative practices and procedures; 
formal evidentiary public hearing.

DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the collection 
of information by April 23, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows. Please note that late, 
untimely filed comments will not be considered. Electronic comments 
must be submitted on or before April 23, 2018. The https://www.regulations.gov electronic filing system will accept comments until 
midnight Eastern Time at the end of April 23, 2018. Comments received 
by mail/hand delivery/courier (for written/paper submissions) will be 
considered timely if they are postmarked or the delivery service 
acceptance receipt is on or before that date.

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted 
electronically, including attachments, to https://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 https://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): Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
     For written/paper comments submitted to the Dockets 
Management Staff, 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-2014-N-2029 for ``Administrative Practices and Procedures; Formal 
Evidentiary Public Hearing.'' Received comments, those filed in a 
timely manner (see ADDRESSES), will be placed in the docket and, except 
for those submitted as ``Confidential Submissions,'' publicly viewable 
at https://www.regulations.gov or at the Dockets Management Staff 
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 https://www.regulations.gov. 
Submit both copies to the Dockets Management Staff. 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: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and insert the

[[Page 7743]]

docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into 
the ``Search'' box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Dockets 
Management Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amber Sanford, Office of Operations, 
Food and Drug Administration, Three White Flint North, 10A-12M, 11601 
Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD 20852, 301-796-8867, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
Agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, 
before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with 
this requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection 
of information set forth in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, FDA 
invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques, when 
appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

Administrative Practices and Procedures (21 CFR 10.30, 10.33, 10.35, 
and 10.85); Formal Evidentiary Public Hearing (21 CFR 12.22 and 12.45)

(OMB Control Number 0910-0191)--Extension

    The Administrative Procedures Act (5 U.S.C. 553(e)) provides that 
every Agency shall give an interested person the right to petition for 
issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule. Section 10.30 (21 CFR 10.30) 
sets forth the format and procedures by which an interested person may 
submit to FDA, in accordance with Sec.  10.20 (21 CFR 10.20), a citizen 
petition requesting the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (the 
Commissioner) to issue, amend, or revoke a regulation or order, or to 
take or refrain from taking any other form of administrative action.
    The Commissioner may grant or deny such a petition, in whole or in 
part, and may grant such other relief or take other action as the 
petition warrants. Respondents are individuals or households, State or 
local governments, and not-for-profit institutions or groups.
    Section 10.33 (21 CFR 10.33), issued under section 701(a) of the 
Federal, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 371(a)), 
sets forth the format and procedures by which an interested person may 
request reconsideration of part or all of a decision of the 
Commissioner on a petition submitted under 21 CFR 10.25 (Initiation of 
administrative proceedings). A petition for reconsideration must 
contain a full statement in a well-organized format of the factual and 
legal grounds upon which the petition relies. The grounds must 
demonstrate that relevant information and views contained in the 
administrative record were not previously or not adequately considered 
by the Commissioner. The respondent must submit a petition no later 
than 30 days after the decision involved. However, the Commissioner 
may, for good cause, permit a petition to be filed after 30 days. An 
interested person who wishes to rely on information or views not 
included in the administrative record shall submit them with a new 
petition to modify the decision. FDA uses the information provided in 
the request to determine whether to grant the petition for 
reconsideration. Respondents to this collection of information are 
individuals of households, State or local governments, not-for-profit 
institutions, and businesses or other for-profit institutions who are 
requesting from the Commissioner of FDA a reconsideration of a matter.
    Section 10.35 (21 CFR 10.35), issued under section 701(a) of the 
FD&C Act, sets forth the format and procedures by which an interested 
person may request, in accordance with Sec.  10.20, the Commissioner to 
stay the effective date of any administrative action.
    Such a petition must do the following: (1) Identify the decision 
involved; (2) state the action requested, including the length of time 
for which a stay is requested; and (3) include a statement of the 
factual and legal grounds on which the interested person relies in 
seeking the stay. FDA uses the information provided in the request to 
determine whether to grant the petition for stay of action.
    Respondents to this information collection are interested persons 
who choose to file a petition for an administrative stay of action.
    Section 10.85 (21 CFR 10.85), issued under section 701(a) of the 
FD&C Act, sets forth the format and procedures by which an interested 
person may request, in accordance with Sec.  10.20, an advisory opinion 
from the Commissioner on a matter of general applicability. When making 
a request, the petitioner must provide a concise statement of the 
issues and questions on which an opinion is requested, and a full 
statement of the facts and legal points relevant to the request. 
Respondents to this collection of information are interested persons 
seeking an advisory opinion from the Commissioner.
    FDA has developed a method for electronic submission of citizen 
petitions. The Agency still allows for non-electronic submissions; 
however, electronic submissions of a citizen petition to a specific 
electronic docket presents a simpler and more straightforward approach. 
FDA has created a single docket on https://www.regulations.gov, the 
U.S. Government's consolidated docket website for Federal Agencies, for 
the initial electronic submission of all citizen petitions. The 
advantage to this change is that it ensures efficiency and ease in 
communication, quicker interaction between citizen petitioners and FDA, 
and easier access to FDA to seek input through the citizen petition 
process.
    The regulations in 21 CFR 12.22, issued under section 701(e)(2) of 
the FD&C Act, set forth the instructions for filing objections and 
requests for a hearing on a regulation or order under Sec.  12.20(d) 
(21 CFR 12.20(d)). Objections and requests must be submitted within the 
time specified in Sec.  12.20(e). Each objection, for which a hearing 
has been requested, must be separately numbered and specify the 
provision of the regulation or the proposed order. In addition, each 
objection must include a detailed description and analysis of the 
factual information and any other document, with some exceptions, 
supporting the objection. Failure to include this information 
constitutes a waiver of the right to a hearing on that objection. FDA 
uses the description and analysis to determine whether a hearing 
request is justified. The description and

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analysis may be used only for the purpose of determining whether a 
hearing has been justified under 21 CFR 12.24 and does not limit the 
evidence that may be presented if a hearing is granted.
    Respondents to this information collection are those parties that 
may be adversely affected by an order or regulation.
    Section 12.45 (21 CFR 12.45), issued under section 701 of the FD&C 
Act, sets forth the format and procedures for any interested person to 
file a petition to participate in a formal evidentiary hearing, either 
personally or through a representative. Section 12.45 requires that any 
person filing a notice of participation state their specific interest 
in the proceedings, including the specific issues of fact about which 
the person desires to be heard. This section also requires that the 
notice include a statement that the person will present testimony at 
the hearing and will comply with specific requirements in 21 CFR 12.85, 
or, in the case of a hearing before a Public Board of Inquiry, 
concerning disclosure of data and information by participants (21 CFR 
13.25). In accordance with Sec.  12.45(e) the presiding officer may 
omit a participant's appearance.
    The presiding officer and other participants will use the collected 
information in a hearing to identify specific interests to be 
presented. This preliminary information serves to expedite the 
prehearing conference and commits participation.
    The respondents are individuals or households, State or local 
governments, not-for-profit institutions and businesses, or other for-
profit groups and institutions.
    FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows:

                                 Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden \1\
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                                                     Number of                        Average
         21 CFR section              Number of    responses  per   Total annual     burden per      Total hours
                                    respondents      respondent      responses       response
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10.30--Citizen petition.........             220               1             220              24           5,280
10.33--Administrative                          6               1               6              10              60
 reconsideration of action......
10.35--Administrative stay of                  6               1               5              10              50
 action.........................
10.85--Requests for Advisory                   4               1               4              16              64
 opinions.......................
12.22--Filing objections and                   5               1               5              20             100
 requests for a hearing on a
 regulation or order............
12.45--Notice of participation..               5               1               5               3              15
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    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............           5,569
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\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of
  information.

    The burden estimates for this collection of information are based 
on Agency records and experience over the past 3 years. The increase in 
burden hours is due to an increase in the number of respondents under 
several provisions.

    Dated: February 14, 2018.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-03604 Filed 2-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4164-01-P