99-28562. Delegations of Authority and Organization; Office of the Commissioner and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 3, 1999)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 59617-59618]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-28562]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
    
    Food and Drug Administration
    
    21 CFR Part 5
    
    
    Delegations of Authority and Organization; Office of the 
    Commissioner and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
    
    AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the 
    delegations of authority statement that covers general redelegations of 
    authority from the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to other officers of 
    FDA. The amendment delegates authority to perform all functions 
    relating to waivers or reductions of prescription drug user fees under 
    the Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 (PDUFA), as originally 
    enacted and as reauthorized by the FDA Modernization Act of 1997 (the 
    Modernization Act), to the Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and 
    Research (CDER) and to the Associate Director for Policy, CDER, except 
    for the functions that pertain to situations where ``the fees will 
    exceed the anticipated present and future costs.'' The authority to 
    waive or reduce user fees, previously redelegated to the Chief Mediator 
    and Ombudsman/User Fee Waiver Officer, the Deputy Chief Mediator and 
    Ombudsman, and the Deputy User Fee Waiver Officer is hereby revoked, 
    except the authority to act upon requests for reconsideration of any 
    user fee decision made by such officers prior to July 1, 1999. Also, as 
    a result of the June 20, 1999, FDA reorganization, the Office of 
    Operations component and the Deputy Commissioner for Operations 
    position were abolished; therefore, the Deputy Commissioner will assume 
    the role of the User Fee Appeals Officer and perform the associated 
    functions.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 1999.
    ADDRESSES:  As of July 1, 1999, submit all requests for waivers, 
    refunds, and reductions in user fees under PDUFA, originally enacted 
    and reauthorized by the Modernization Act, to the Associate Director 
    for Policy, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (HFD-5), Food and 
    Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, Attn: User 
    Fee Waiver Office. Submit requests sent via a courier that requires a 
    street address to the Associate Director for Policy, Center for Drug 
    Evaluation and Research (HFD-5), Food and Drug Administration, 1451 
    Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852, Attn: User Fee Waiver Office. 
    Submit requests for reconsideration of user fee waiver determinations 
    made prior to the effective date of this document to the Office of the 
    Chief Mediator and Ombudsman, (HF-7), Food and Drug Administration, 
    5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
        Beverly J. Friedman, User Fee Staff (HFD-5), Food and Drug 
    Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-594-2041, 
    or
        Donna G. Page, Division of Management Programs (HFA-340),
    
    [[Page 59618]]
    
    Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 
    301-827-4816.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FDA is amending the delegations of authority 
    under Sec. 5.20 General redelegations of authority from the 
    Commissioner to other officers of the Food and Drug Administration (21 
    CFR 5.20) by revising Sec. 5.20(h) to revoke the authority of the Chief 
    Mediator and Ombudsman/User Fee Waiver Officer, the Deputy Chief 
    Mediator and Ombudsman, and the Deputy User Fee Waiver Officer to waive 
    or reduce user fees under the waiver provisions of PDUFA as originally 
    enacted and as amended by the Modernization Act (section 736(d) and 
    (a)(1)(G) of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) (21 U.S.C. 
    379h(d) and (a)(1)(G)), except the authority to act upon requests for 
    reconsideration of any user fee decision made by such officers prior to 
    July 1, 1999. FDA is also revising the section to reflect that the 
    Deputy Commissioner is designated as the User Fee Appeals Officer and 
    in the case of a vacancy in the position, to reflect the designation of 
    the Senior Associate Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner as the 
    User Fee Appeals Officer.
        FDA is adding Sec. 5.101 Authority relating to waivers or 
    reductions of prescription drug user fees to reflect redelegation of 
    certain user fee-related authorities under section 736(d) and (a)(1)(G) 
    of the act, as amended, to the Director, CDER and to the Associate 
    Director for Policy, CDER. CDER will exercise the authority now being 
    delegated to resolve requests for waivers, reductions, or refunds of 
    assessable fees relating to human drug products reviewed and regulated 
    by CDER, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, and any 
    other FDA center.
        Authority delegated to a position by title may be exercised by a 
    person officially designated to serve in such a position in an acting 
    capacity or on a temporary basis, unless prohibited by a restriction in 
    the document designating him/her as ``acting'' or unless not legally 
    permissible. These authorities may not be further redelegated.
    
    List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 5
    
        Authority delegations (Government agencies), Imports, Organization 
    and functions (Government agencies).
        Therefore, under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and under 
    authority delegated to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 21 CFR part 
    5 is amended as follows:
    
     PART 5--DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY AND ORGANIZATION
    
        1. The authority citation for 21 CFR part 5 continues to read as 
    follows:
        Authority: 5 U.S.C. 504, 552, App. 2; 7 U.S.C. 138a, 2271; 15 
    U.S.C. 638, 1261-1282, 3701-3711a; 15 U.S.C. 1451-1461; 21 U.S.C. 
    41-50, 61-63, 141-149, 321-394, 467f, 679(b), 801-886, 1031-1309; 35 
    U.S.C. 156; 42 U.S.C. 241, 242, 242a, 242l, 242n, 243, 262, 263, 
    264, 265, 300u-300u-5, 300aa-1; 1395y, 3246b, 4332, 4831(a), 10007-
    10008; E.O. 11921, 41 FR 24294, 3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 124-131; E.O. 
    12591, 52 FR 13414, 3 CFR, 1988 Comp., p. 220-223.
        2. Section 5.20 is amended by revising paragraph (h) to read as 
    follows:
    
    Sec. 5.20  General redelegations of authority from the Commissioner to 
    other officers of the Food and Drug Administration.
    
    * * * * *
        (h)(1) The Chief Mediator and Ombudsman and the Deputy Chief 
    Mediator and Ombudsman are authorized to act upon requests for 
    reconsideration of any user fee decisions (under 21 U.S.C. 379h(d)) 
    made by such officers and the former Deputy User Fee Waiver Officer 
    prior to July 1, 1999. This authority may not be further redelegated. 
    (See Sec. 5.101 for the user fee-related redelegation to officials 
    within the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.)
        (2) The Deputy Commissioner for Management and Systems and the 
    Director, Office of Financial Management are authorized to perform the 
    functions of the Commissioner under 21 U.S.C. 379h(d)(1)(C), as 
    amended, to waive or reduce prescription drug user fees in situations 
    where he/she finds that ``the fees will exceed the anticipated present 
    and future costs.'' This authority may not be further redelegated.
        (3) The Deputy Commissioner or, in the event of a vacancy in that 
    position, the Senior Associate Commissioner, Office of the 
    Commissioner, is designated as the User Fee Appeals Officer. The User 
    Fee Appeals Officer is authorized to hear and decide user fee waiver 
    appeals. The decision of the User Fee Appeals Officer will constitute 
    final agency action on such matters. This authority may not be further 
    redelegated.
        3. Section 5.101 is added to subpart C to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 5.101  Authority relating to waivers or reductions of prescription 
    drug user fees.
    
        The Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and 
    the Associate Director for Policy, CDER, are authorized to perform all 
    functions of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs relating to waivers or 
    reductions of prescription drug user fees under the Prescription Drug 
    User Fee Act of l992, as originally enacted and as reauthorized by the 
    FDA Modernization Act of l997, except for the functions under 21 U.S.C. 
    379h(d)(1)(C) that pertain to situations where ``the fees will exceed 
    the anticipated present and future costs,'' on behalf of CDER, the 
    Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, and any other FDA center. 
    This authority pertains to waivers requested under the public health 
    waiver provision (21 U.S.C. 379h(d)(1)(A)); the barrier to innovation 
    waiver provision (21 U.S.C. 379h(d)(1)(B)); the applications submitted 
    under section 505(b)(1) and (b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
    Cosmetic Act waiver provision (21 U.S.C. 379h(d)(1)(D)); the small 
    business waiver provision (21 U.S.C. 379h(d)(1)(E)); and to requests 
    for refunds of fees if an application or supplement is withdrawn after 
    filing (21 U.S.C. 379h(a)(1)(G)); as well as waivers, reductions, or 
    refunds requested on any other basis except fees exceeding the cost. 
    These authorities may not be further redelegated. (See Sec. 5.20(h)(1) 
    for the authority to reconsider any user fee decisions made by the 
    Chief Mediator and Ombudsman, the Deputy Chief Mediator and Ombudsman, 
    and/or the former Deputy User Fee Waiver Officer prior to July 1, 
    1999.)
    * * * * *
    
        Dated: October 25, 1999.
    Margaret M. Dotzel,
    Acting Associate Commissioner for Policy.
    [FR Doc. 99-28562 Filed 11-2-99; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4160-01-F
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
7/1/1999
Published:
11/03/1999
Department:
Food and Drug Administration
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
99-28562
Dates:
July 1, 1999.
Pages:
59617-59618 (2 pages)
PDF File:
99-28562.pdf
CFR: (2)
21 CFR 5.20
21 CFR 5.101