Acceptability of Draft 
Labeling to Support 
ANDA Approval 
Guidance for Industry 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This guidance is for immediate implementation.
 
   
 
FDA is issuing this guidance for immediate implementation in accordance with 21 CFR 
10.115(g)(2).  Submit one set of either electronic or written comments on this guidance at any 
time.  Submit electronic comments to http://www.regulations.gov.  Submit written comments to 
the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers 
Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.  You should identify all comments with the docket 
number listed in the notice of availability that publishes in the Federal Register. 
 
For questions regarding this document, contact (CDER) Tamara Coley 240-402-6903.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Food and Drug Administration 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) 
 
October 2015 
Generic Drugs Acceptability of Draft 
Labeling to Support 
ANDA Approval 
Guidance for Industry 
 
 
Additional copies are available from: 
Office of Communications, Division of Drug Information  
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 
Food and Drug Administration 
10001 New Hampshire Ave., Hillandale Bldg., 4th Floor  
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002  
Phone: 855-543-3784 or 301-796-3400; Fax: 301-431-6353 
Email: druginfo@fda.hhs.gov  
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/default.htm 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Food and Drug Administration 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) 
October 2015 
Generic Drugs 
 
  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
I.  INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 
II.  DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................... 1  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
Acceptability of Draft Labeling to Support ANDA Approval 
1
Guidance for Industry  
 
 
 
 
This guidance represents the current thinking of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) on 
this topic.  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.  
To discuss an alternative approach, contact the FDA staff responsible for this guidance as listed on the 
title page.  
 
 
 
I.  INTRODUCTION  
 
This guidance provides recommendations and information related to the submission of proposed 
labeling with abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) under section 505(j)(2)(A)(v) of the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) and FDAs implementing regulations (21 CFR 
314.94(a)(8)).  This guidance is intended to assist applicants submitting ANDAs under section 
505(j) of the Act to the Office of Generic Drugs (OGD) in the Center for Drug Evaluation and 
Research (CDER).  It explains FDAs interpretation of the regulatory provision related to the 
submission of copies of applicants proposed labeling in ANDAs and clarifies that OGD will 
accept draft labeling and does not require the submission of final printed labeling (FPL) in order 
to approve an ANDA.  
 
FDA is implementing this guidance without prior public comment because the Agency has 
determined that prior public participation is not feasible or appropriate (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(2) 
and (g)(3)).  FDA made this determination because this guidance presents a less burdensome 
policy that is consistent with the public health.   
 
In general, FDAs guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally 
enforceable responsibilities.  Instead, guidances describe the Agencys current thinking on a 
topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory 
requirements are cited.  The use of the word should in Agency guidances means that something 
is suggested or recommended, but not required.  
 
II.  DISCUSSION     
 
OGD is issuing this guidance to provide regulated industry and other interested persons with our 
current thinking on the requirement that ANDA applicants submit copies of proposed labeling in 
their applications.  Specifically, OGD is clarifying whether submission of FPL as opposed to 
draft labeling is required in order for OGD to approve an ANDA.  
                                                 
1 The Office of Generic Drugs in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration 
prepared this guidance.  
  1  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
This guidance supersedes the Acceptability of Draft Labeling to Support a Tentative Approval 
section of OGDs August 4, 1993, letter to industry and also supersedes the statement in the 
preamble of FDAs proposed rule, Abbreviated New Drug Applications and 505(b)(2) 
Applications,2 that final printed labeling is required as a condition of approval [of ANDAs].3  
Upon further consideration of the relevant statutory and regulatory provisions, FDA has 
determined that an ANDA may be approved on the basis of draft labeling, provided that the only 
deficiencies in the draft labeling are of an editorial or similarly minor nature, and the draft 
labeling meets the recommendations below.4  This guidance also further clarifies previous 
guidances for industry that have described approving ANDAs based on draft labeling, including 
PET Drug Applications  Content and Format for NDAs and ANDAs and SPL Standard for 
Content of Labeling Technical Qs and As. 
 
Section 505(j)(2)(A)(v) of the Act requires that ANDAs contain information to show that the 
labeling proposed for the new drug is the same as the labeling for the listed drug (with limited 
exceptions).  FDAs regulations (21 CFR 314.94(a)(8)(ii)) require ANDAs to contain copies of 
the label and all labeling for the proposed drug product, and indicate that applicants should 
submit copies of draft or final printed labeling.  ANDA applicants are also required to submit the 
content of labeling, including the prescribing information and FDA-approved patient labeling, in 
electronic format (21 CFR 314.94(d)(ii)).     
 
In the past, OGD generally asked that ANDA applicants submit FPL in order to receive 
approval, with certain exceptions (e.g., for marketing applications for positron emission 
tomography (PET) drugs).  OGD generally requested FPL before approving ANDAs because 
this version of the labeling reflected an accurate presentation of the layout, print size, color, 
prominence, and readability, which allowed OGD to determine whether the labeling conformed 
to applicable content and formatting requirements.   
 
As ANDA labeling submissions have evolved over time, particularly with respect to the 
submission of electronic versions of labeling, OGD has found that draft electronic versions can 
enable an appropriate labeling review before a final printed version is produced.5  
 
In the past, when the applicant had not submitted FPL to OGD and the application was otherwise 
approvable, OGD would issue applicants approvable letters to indicate that the application 
substantially met the requirements for approval except for a minor labeling deficiency 
                                                 
2 80 FR 6802 (Feb. 6, 2015). 
3 80 FR at 6813. 
4 FDA will not approve an ANDA with labeling deficiencies of a degree that cause the ANDA not to meet the 
statutory and regulatory requirements to feature the same labeling as the listed drug.  See Section 505(j)(2)(A)(v) of 
the FD&C Act; 21 CFR 314.127(a)(7). 
5 See FDAs draft guidance for industry ANDA Submissions  Content and Format of Abbreviated New Drug 
Applications, available at 
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM400630.pdf, for 
information about acceptable electronic formats for submitting labeling as part of an ANDA.  FDA revises and 
updates guidances regularly. To make sure you have the most recent version, check this web site 
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/default.htm. 
 
  2  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
(submission of FPL).  FDAs regulations were amended in 2008 to discontinue the use of 
approvable and not approvable letters when taking action on applications.  The Agency now uses 
complete response (CR) letters to indicate that the review cycle is complete and the application is 
not ready for approval (73 FR 39588).   
 
OGDs current thinking is that issuance of a CR letter is not appropriate if the only deficiency is 
the submission of draft labeling as opposed to FPL, provided that OGD is able to make a 
determination that the draft labeling complies with applicable requirements (other than editorial 
or similar minor deficiencies).    
 
With respect to the prescribing information and any FDA-approved patient labeling, the draft 
version should reflect the full content of the labeling as well as the planned ordering of the 
content of the labeling in order for OGD to make this determination. 
 
For carton and container labeling, OGD reviews the labeling to ensure that, among other things, 
it is adequate from a safety perspective.6  This review includes an evaluation of formatting 
factors such as the colors used (e.g., to differentiate multiple strengths of the product), the font 
size and style used to present required information (e.g., the established name), and any other 
techniques used to ensure the required information is presented with appropriate prominence.  
Thus, draft versions of this labeling should reflect the content as well as an accurate 
representation of the layout, text size and style, color, and other formatting factors that will be 
used with the FPL in order for OGD to determine whether there are any significant deficiencies 
in the carton and container labeling.   
 
Draft labeling that reflects the above considerations for the prescribing information, FDA-
approved patient labeling, and/or carton and container labeling will allow OGD to perform the 
necessary review of the labeling to determine whether it complies with applicable requirements. 
 
Thus, OGD intends to approve ANDAs on the basis of such draft labeling, consistent with the 
statute and regulations and the recommendations in this guidance.  Applicant holders who 
receive approval based on draft labeling are responsible for ensuring the content of the FPL is 
identical to the approved labeling.  Marketing the product with FPL that is not identical to the 
approved labeling text7 may render the drug product misbranded and an unapproved new drug.   
 
                                                 
6 See FDAs draft guidance for industry Safety Considerations for Container Labels and Carton Labeling Design to 
Minimize Medication Errors, available at 
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM349009.pdf, for 
more information about FDAs review of various safety aspects of carton and container labeling. 
7 If there are editorial or similar minor deficiencies in the draft labeling, the approval will be conditioned on the 
applicant incorporating specified labeling changes exactly as directed. 
  3