§ 1101.33 - Reasonable steps to assure information release is fair in the circumstances.

§ 1101.33 Reasonable steps to assure information release is fair in the circumstances.

(a) The steps set forth below are the steps the Commission has determined are reasonable to take to assure disclosure of information to the public is fair in the circumstances:

(1) The Commission will accompany information disclosed to the public with the manufacturer's or private labeler's comments unless the manufacturer or private labeler asks in its section 6(b) comments that its comments or a designated portion thereof not accompany the information.

(2) The Commission generally will accompany the disclosure of information with an explanatory statement that makes the nature of the information disclosed clear to the public. The Commission will also take reasonable steps to disclose any other relevant information it its possession that will assure disclosure is fair in the circumstances.

(3) The Commission will limit the form of disclosure to that which it considers appropriate in the circumstances. For example, the Commission may determine it is not appropriate to issue a nationwide press release in a particular situation and rather will issue a press release directed at certain localities, regions, or user populations.

(4) The Commission may delay disclosure of information in some circumstances. For example, the Commission may elect to postpone an information release until an investigation, analysis or test of a product is complete, rather than releasing information piecemeal.

(b) The Commission will not disclose information when it determines that disclosure would not be fair in the circumstances. The following are examples of disclosures which generally would not be fair in the circumstances.

(1) Disclosure of information furnished by a firm to facilitate prompt remedial action or settlement of a case when the firm has a reasonable expectation that the information will be maintained by the Commission in concidence.

(2) Disclosure of notes or minutes of meetings to discuss or negotiate settlement agreements and of drafts of documents prepared during settlement negotiations, where the firm has a reasonable expectation that such written materials will be maintained by the Commission in confidence.

(3) Disclosure of the work-product of attorneys employed by a firm and information subject to an attorney/client privilege, if the Commission has obtained the information from the client or the attorney, the attorney or client advises the Commission of the confidential nature of the information at the time it is submitted to the Commission, and the information has been maintained in confidence by the client and the attorney.

(4) Disclosure of a firm's comments (or a portion thereof) submitted under section 6(b)(1) over the firm's objection.