[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 59 (Thursday, March 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14683-14684]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7790]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Advisory Committees; Notice of Meetings

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces forthcoming meetings of public advisory 
committees of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This notice also 
summarizes the procedures for the meetings and methods by which 
interested persons may participate in open public hearings before FDA's 
advisory committees.

    FDA has established an Advisory Committee Information Hotline (the 
hotline) using a voice-mail telephone system. The hotline provides the 
public with access to the most current information on FDA advisory 
committee meetings. The advisory committee hotline, which will 
disseminate current information and information updates, can be 
accessed by dialing 1-800-741-8138 or 301-443-0572. Each advisory 
committee is assigned a 5-digit number. This 5-digit number will appear 
in each individual notice of meeting. The hotline will enable the 
public to obtain information about a particular advisory committee by 
using the committee's 5-digit number. Information in the hotline is 
preliminary and may change before a meeting is actually held. The 
hotline will be updated when such changes are made.
MEETINGS: The following advisory committee meetings are announced:

Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee

    Date, time, and place. April 15, 1997, 8 a.m.; Holiday Inn--
Gaithersburg, Goshen Room, Two Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg, 
MD.
    Type of meeting and contact person. Open committee discussion, 8 
a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; open public hearing 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., unless 
public participation does not last that long; open committee 
discussion, 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; closed committee deliberations, 5 p.m. 
to 6 p.m.; Andrea G. Neal, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 
(HFD-21), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, 
MD 20857, 301-443-5455, or FDA Advisory Committee Information Hotline, 
1-800-741-8138 (301-443-0572 in the Washington, DC area), 
Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee, code 12541. Please call the 
hotline for information concerning any possible changes.
    General function of the committee. The committee reviews and 
evaluates available data concerning the safety and effectiveness of 
over-the-counter (nonprescription) human drug products for use in the 
treatment of a broad spectrum of human symptoms and diseases.
    Agenda--Open public hearing. Interested persons may present data, 
information, or views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before 
the committee. Those desiring to make formal presentations should 
notify the contact person before April 1, 1997, and submit a brief 
statement of the general nature of the evidence or arguments they wish 
to present, the names and addresses of proposed participants, and an 
indication of the approximate time required to make their comments.
    Open committee discussion. The committee will discuss a possible 
association between vaginal douching and adverse consequences. FDA is 
aware of a number of case-control epidemiologic studies in the 
literature that suggest a possible association between vaginal douching 
and several conditions, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic 
pregnancy, and cervical cancer (letter from D. Bowen, FDA, to R. W. 
Soller, Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Association, LET 105, Docket 
No. 75N-0183, Dockets Management Branch). The committee's discussion 
will include issues relating to behavioral, epidemiological, and 
microbiological aspects of vaginal douching. Regulatory issues related 
to over-the-counter vaginal-douche drugs, cosmetics, and devices 
(douching equipment) will also be addressed.
    Closed committee deliberations. The committee will review trade 
secret and/or confidential commercial information relevant to pending 
investigational new drugs applications (IND's) or new drug applications 
(NDA's). This portion of the meeting will be closed to permit 
discussion of this information. (5 U.S.C. 552b (c)(4)).

Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee

    Date, time, and place. April 17 and 18, 1997, 8:30 a.m., Holiday 
Inn--Gaithersburg, Grand Ballroom, Two Montgomery Village Ave., 
Gaithersburg, MD.
    Type of meeting and contact person. Open public hearing, April 17, 
1997, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., unless public participation does not last 
that long; open committee discussion, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed 
presentation of data, April 18, 1997, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; closed 
committee deliberations, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tracy Riley or Angie 
Whitacre, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (HFD-21), Food and 
Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-443-
5455, or FDA Advisory Committee Information Hotline, 1-800-741-8138 
(301-443-0572 in the Washington, DC area), Dermatologic and Ophthalmic 
Drugs Advisory Committee, code 12534. Please call the hotline for 
information concerning any possible changes.
    General function of the committee. The committee reviews and 
evaluates available data concerning the safety and effectiveness of 
marketed and investigational human drug products for use in the 
treatment of dermatologic and ophthalmic disorders.
    Agenda--Open public hearing. Interested persons may present data, 
information, or views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before 
the committee. Those desiring to make formal presentations should 
notify the contact person before April 11, 1997, and submit a brief 
statement of the general nature of the evidence or arguments they wish 
to present, the names and addresses of proposed participants, and an 
indication of the

[[Page 14684]]

approximate time required to make their comments.
    Open committee discussion. On April 17, 1997, the committee will 
hear presentations and discuss the teratogenicity and labeling issues 
regarding approved NDA 19-821 for Soriatane (acitretin capsules, 
Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc.) for use in treating severe psoriasis.
    Closed presentation of data. On April 18, 1997, the committee will 
hear trade secret and/or confidential commercial information relevant 
to pending IND's or NDA's. This portion of the meeting will be closed 
to permit discussion of this information (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4)).
    Closed committee deliberations. On April 18, 1997, the committee 
will review trade secret and/or confidential commercial information 
relevant to pending IND's and/or NDA's. This portion of the meeting 
will be closed to permit discussion of this information (5 U.S.C. 
552b(c)(4)).
    Each public advisory committee meeting listed above may have as 
many as four separable portions: (1) An open public hearing, (2) an 
open committee discussion, (3) a closed presentation of data, and (4) a 
closed committee deliberation. Every advisory committee meeting shall 
have an open public hearing portion. Whether or not it also includes 
any of the other three portions will depend upon the specific meeting 
involved. The dates and times reserved for the separate portions of 
each committee meeting are listed above.
    The open public hearing portion of the meeting(s) shall be at least 
1 hour long unless public participation does not last that long. It is 
emphasized, however, that the 1 hour time limit for an open public 
hearing represents a minimum rather than a maximum time for public 
participation, and an open public hearing may last for whatever longer 
period the committee chairperson determines will facilitate the 
committee's work.
    Public hearings are subject to FDA's guideline (subpart C of 21 CFR 
part 10) concerning the policy and procedures for electronic media 
coverage of FDA's public administrative proceedings, including hearings 
before public advisory committees under 21 CFR part 14. Under 21 CFR 
10.205, representatives of the electronic media may be permitted, 
subject to certain limitations, to videotape, film, or otherwise record 
FDA's public administrative proceedings, including presentations by 
participants.
    Meetings of advisory committees shall be conducted, insofar as is 
practical, in accordance with the agenda published in this Federal 
Register notice. Changes in the agenda will be announced at the 
beginning of the open portion of a meeting.
    Any interested person who wishes to be assured of the right to make 
an oral presentation at the open public hearing portion of a meeting 
shall inform the contact person listed above, either orally or in 
writing, prior to the meeting. Any person attending the hearing who 
does not in advance of the meeting request an opportunity to speak will 
be allowed to make an oral presentation at the hearing's conclusion, if 
time permits, at the chairperson's discretion.
    The agenda, the questions to be addressed by the committee, and a 
current list of committee members will be available at the meeting 
location on the day of the meeting.
    Transcripts of the open portion of the meeting may be requested in 
writing from the Freedom of Information Office (HFI-35), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, rm. 12A-16, Rockville, MD 20857, 
approximately 15 working days after the meeting, at a cost of 10 cents 
per page. The transcript may be viewed at the Dockets Management Branch 
(HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 12420 Parklawn Dr., rm. 1-23, 
Rockville, MD 20857, approximately 15 working days after the meeting, 
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Summary 
minutes of the open portion of the meeting may be requested in writing 
from the Freedom of Information Office (address above) beginning 
approximately 90 days after the meeting.
    The Commissioner has determined for the reasons stated that those 
portions of the advisory committee meetings so designated in this 
notice shall be closed. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 
U.S.C. app. 2, 10(d)), permits such closed advisory committee meetings 
in certain circumstances. Those portions of a meeting designated as 
closed, however, shall be closed for the shortest possible time, 
consistent with the intent of the cited statutes.
    The FACA, as amended, provides that a portion of a meeting may be 
closed where the matter for discussion involves a trade secret; 
commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential; 
information of a personal nature, disclosure of which would be a 
clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; investigatory files 
compiled for law enforcement purposes; information the premature 
disclosure of which would be likely to significantly frustrate 
implementation of a proposed agency action; and information in certain 
other instances not generally relevant to FDA matters.
    Examples of portions of FDA advisory committee meetings that 
ordinarily may be closed, where necessary and in accordance with FACA 
criteria, include the review, discussion, and evaluation of drafts of 
regulations or guidelines or similar preexisting internal agency 
documents, but only if their premature disclosure is likely to 
significantly frustrate implementation of proposed agency action; 
review of trade secrets and confidential commercial or financial 
information submitted to the agency; consideration of matters involving 
investigatory files compiled for law enforcement purposes; and review 
of matters, such as personnel records or individual patient records, 
where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of 
personal privacy.
    Examples of portions of FDA advisory committee meetings that 
ordinarily shall not be closed include the review, discussion, and 
evaluation of general preclinical and clinical test protocols and 
procedures for a class of drugs or devices; consideration of labeling 
requirements for a class of marketed drugs or devices; review of data 
and information on specific investigational or marketed drugs and 
devices that have previously been made public; presentation of any 
other data or information that is not exempt from public disclosure 
pursuant to the FACA, as amended; and, deliberation to formulate advice 
and recommendations to the agency on matters that do not independently 
justify closing.
    This notice is issued under section 10(a)(1) and (a)(2) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app. 2), and FDA's regulations 
(21 CFR part 14) on advisory committees.

    Dated: March 21, 1997.
Michael A. Friedman,
Deputy Commissioner for Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-7790 Filed 3-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-F