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###### Department of Health and Human Services

###### Food and Drug Administration

          - [Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0451]

# AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

# ACTION:

Notice.

# SUMMARY:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled “Suicidality: Prospective Assessment of Occurrence in Clinical Trials.” The purpose of this guidance is to assist sponsors in prospectively assessing the occurrence of treatment-emergent suicidality in clinical trials of drug and biological products. Specifically, this guidance addresses FDA's current thinking regarding the importance of suicidality assessment in psychiatric and nonpsychiatric drug trials and the general principles for how best to accomplish this assessment during drug development.

# 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comment on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5)), to ensure that the agency considers your comment on this draft guidance before it begins work on the final version of the guidance, submit either electronic or written comments on the draft guidance by November 8, 2010.

# ADDRESSES:

                        Submit written requests for single copies of the draft guidance to the Division of Drug Information, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 51, rm. 2201, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002. Send one self-addressed adhesive label to assist that office in processing your requests. See the                         **SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION**                         section for electronic access to the draft guidance document.                    

                    Submit electronic comments on the draft guidance to                     *http://www.regulations.gov*.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.                

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas Laughren, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 22, rm. 4114, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 301-796-2260.

      ( print page 54890)    

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

## I. Background

FDA is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled “Suicidality: Prospective Assessment of Occurrence in Clinical Trials.” The purpose of this guidance is to assist sponsors in prospectively assessing the occurrence of treatment-emergent suicidality in clinical trials of drug and biological products. Specifically, this guidance addresses FDA's current thinking regarding the importance of suicidality assessment in psychiatric and nonpsychiatric drug trials and the general principles for how best to accomplish this assessment during drug development.

The principles discussed in this guidance for the prospective assessment of suicidality involve actively querying patients about the occurrence of suicidal thinking and behavior, rather than relying on patients to report such occurrences spontaneously, followed by retrospective classification of events into appropriate categories. This guidance recommends a specific suicidality assessment instrument that can be used to conduct such prospective assessments and offers guidance on the use of alternative instruments. This guidance does not address the complex analytic issues involved in the analysis of the suicidality data that will be derived from prospective assessments of suicidality; these issues will be addressed in separate guidances.

Comments are welcome regarding the recommended approach of carrying out prospective suicidality assessments in all clinical trials for all drugs that are pharmacologically similar to isotretinoin and other tretinoins, beta blockers (especially those entering the brain), reserpine, drugs for smoking cessation, and drugs for weight loss for which possible signals of risk for suicidality have already been identified.

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 agency's current thinking on the prospective assessment of suicidality occurrence in clinical trials. It does not create or confer any rights for or on any person and does not operate to bind FDA or the public. An alternative approach may be used if such approach satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations.

## II. Comments

                    Interested persons may submit to the Division of Dockets Management (see                     **ADDRESSES**                    ) either electronic or written comments regarding this document. It is only necessary to send one set of comments. It is no longer necessary to send two copies of mailed comments. Identify comments with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document. Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.                

## III. Electronic Access

                    Persons with access to the Internet may obtain the document at either                     *http://www.fda.gov/​Drugs/​GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/​Guidances/​default.htm*                     or                     *http://www.regulations.gov*.                

Dated: September 2, 2010.

Leslie Kux,

Acting Assistant Commissioner for Policy.

[FR Doc. 2010-22404 Filed 9-8-10; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160-01-P