Notice2022-02359
Authorizations of Emergency Use of Certain Drugs and Biological Products During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Availability
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 4, 2022
Effective
December 8, 2021
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentFood and Drug Administration
Abstract
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the issuance of three Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) (the Authorizations) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA has issued one Authorization for a biological product as requested by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP (AZ), one Authorization for a drug product as requested by Pfizer, Inc. (Pfizer), and one Authorization for a drug product as requested by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (Merck). The Authorizations contain, among other things, conditions on the emergency use of the authorized products. The Authorizations follow the February 4, 2020, determination by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that there is a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of U.S. citizens living abroad and that involves a novel (new) coronavirus. The virus, now named SARS-CoV-2, causes the illness COVID- 19. On the basis of such determination, the Secretary of HHS declared on March 27, 2020, that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of drugs and biological products during the COVID-19 pandemic, pursuant to the FD&C Act, subject to the terms of any authorization issued under that section. The Authorizations, which include an explanation of the reasons for issuance, are reprinted in this document.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6578-6610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02359]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA-2021-N-0335]
Authorizations of Emergency Use of Certain Drugs and Biological
Products During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Availability
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the
issuance of three Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) (the
Authorizations) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C
Act), for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA has issued one
Authorization for a biological product as requested by AstraZeneca
Pharmaceuticals LP (AZ), one Authorization for a drug product as
requested by Pfizer, Inc. (Pfizer), and one Authorization for a drug
product as requested by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (Merck). The
Authorizations contain, among other things, conditions on the emergency
use of the authorized products. The Authorizations follow the February
4, 2020, determination by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(HHS) that there is a public health emergency that has a significant
potential to affect national security or the health and security of
U.S. citizens living abroad and that involves a novel (new)
coronavirus. The virus, now named SARS-CoV-2, causes the illness COVID-
19. On the basis of such determination, the Secretary of HHS declared
on March 27, 2020, that circumstances exist justifying the
authorization of emergency use of drugs and biological products during
the COVID-19 pandemic, pursuant to the FD&C Act, subject to the terms
of any authorization issued under that section. The Authorizations,
which include an explanation of the reasons for issuance, are reprinted
in this document.
DATES: The Authorization for AZ is effective as of December 8, 2021,
the Authorization for Pfizer is effective as of December 22, 2021, and
the Authorization for Merck is effective as of December 23, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit written requests for single copies of the EUAs to the
Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats, Food and Drug
Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 1, Rm. 4338, Silver
Spring, MD 20993-0002. Send one self-addressed adhesive label to assist
that office in processing your request or include a fax number to which
the Authorizations may be sent. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section for electronic access to the Authorizations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Mair, Office of
Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats, Food and Drug Administration,
10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 1, Rm. 4340, Silver Spring, MD 20993-
0002, 301-796-8510 (this is not a toll free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 564 of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 360bbb-3) allows FDA to
strengthen public health protections against biological, chemical,
nuclear, and radiological agents. Among other things, section 564 of
the FD&C Act allows FDA to authorize the use of an unapproved medical
product or an unapproved use of an approved medical product in certain
situations. With this EUA authority, FDA can help ensure that medical
countermeasures may be used in emergencies to diagnose, treat, or
prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions caused by
biological, chemical, nuclear, or radiological agents when there are no
adequate, approved, and available alternatives (among other criteria).
II. Criteria for EUA Authorization
Section 564(b)(1) of the FD&C Act provides that, before an EUA may
be issued, the Secretary of HHS must declare that circumstances exist
justifying the authorization based on one of the following grounds: (1)
A determination by the Secretary of Homeland Security that there is a
domestic emergency, or a significant potential for a domestic
emergency, involving a heightened risk of attack with a biological,
chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agents; (2) a
[[Page 6579]]
determination by the Secretary of Defense that there is a military
emergency, or a significant potential for a military emergency,
involving a heightened risk to U.S. military forces, including
personnel operating under the authority of title 10 or title 50, U.S.
Code, of attack with (A) a biological, chemical, radiological, or
nuclear agent or agents; or (B) an agent or agents that may cause, or
are otherwise associated with, an imminently life-threatening and
specific risk to U.S. military forces; \1\ (3) a determination by the
Secretary of HHS that there is a public health emergency, or a
significant potential for a public health emergency, that affects, or
has a significant potential to affect, national security or the health
and security of U.S. citizens living abroad, and that involves a
biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agents, or a
disease or condition that may be attributable to such agent or agents;
or (4) the identification of a material threat by the Secretary of
Homeland Security pursuant to section 319F-2 of the Public Health
Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b) sufficient to affect national
security or the health and security of U.S. citizens living abroad.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ In the case of a determination by the Secretary of Defense,
the Secretary of HHS shall determine within 45 calendar days of such
determination, whether to make a declaration under section 564(b)(1)
of the FD&C Act, and, if appropriate, shall promptly make such a
declaration.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Once the Secretary of HHS has declared that circumstances exist
justifying an authorization under section 564 of the FD&C Act, FDA may
authorize the emergency use of a drug, device, or biological product if
the Agency concludes that the statutory criteria are satisfied. Under
section 564(h)(1) of the FD&C Act, FDA is required to publish in the
Federal Register a notice of each authorization, and each termination
or revocation of an authorization, and an explanation of the reasons
for the action. Under section 564(h)(1) of the FD&C Act, revisions to
an authorization shall be made available on the internet website of
FDA. Section 564 of the FD&C Act permits FDA to authorize the
introduction into interstate commerce of a drug, device, or biological
product intended for use in an actual or potential emergency when the
Secretary of HHS has declared that circumstances exist justifying the
authorization of emergency use. Products appropriate for emergency use
may include products and uses that are not approved, cleared, or
licensed under sections 505, 510(k), 512, or 515 of the FD&C Act (21
U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 360b, and 360e) or section 351 of the PHS Act (42
U.S.C. 262), or conditionally approved under section 571 of the FD&C
Act (21 U.S.C. 360ccc). FDA may issue an EUA only if, after
consultation with the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and
Response, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (to the
extent feasible and appropriate given the applicable circumstances),
FDA \2\ concludes: (1) That an agent referred to in a declaration of
emergency or threat can cause a serious or life-threatening disease or
condition; (2) that, based on the totality of scientific evidence
available to FDA, including data from adequate and well-controlled
clinical trials, if available, it is reasonable to believe that: (A)
The product may be effective in diagnosing, treating, or preventing (i)
such disease or condition; or (ii) a serious or life-threatening
disease or condition caused by a product authorized under section 564,
approved or cleared under the FD&C Act, or licensed under section 351
of the PHS Act, for diagnosing, treating, or preventing such a disease
or condition caused by such an agent; and (B) the known and potential
benefits of the product, when used to diagnose, prevent, or treat such
disease or condition, outweigh the known and potential risks of the
product, taking into consideration the material threat posed by the
agent or agents identified in a declaration under section 564(b)(1)(D)
of the FD&C Act, if applicable; (3) that there is no adequate,
approved, and available alternative to the product for diagnosing,
preventing, or treating such disease or condition; (4) in the case of a
determination described in section 564(b)(1)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act,
that the request for emergency use is made by the Secretary of Defense;
and (5) that such other criteria as may be prescribed by regulation are
satisfied.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ The Secretary of HHS has delegated the authority to issue an
EUA under section 564 of the FD&C Act to the Commissioner of Food
and Drugs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
No other criteria for issuance have been prescribed by regulation
under section 564(c)(4) of the FD&C Act.
III. The Authorizations
The Authorizations follow the February 4, 2020, determination by
the Secretary of HHS that there is a public health emergency that has a
significant potential to affect national security or the health and
security of U.S. citizens living abroad and that involves a novel (new)
coronavirus. The virus, now named SARS-CoV-2, causes the illness COVID-
19. Notice of the Secretary's determination was provided in the Federal
Register on February 7, 2020 (85 FR 7316). On the basis of such
determination, the Secretary of HHS declared on March 27, 2020, that
circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of
drugs and biological products during the COVID-19 pandemic, pursuant to
section 564 of the FD&C Act, subject to the terms of any authorization
issued under that section. Notice of the Secretary's declaration was
provided in the Federal Register on April 1, 2020 (85 FR 18250). Having
concluded that the criteria for issuance of the Authorizations under
section 564(c) of the FD&C Act are met, FDA has issued three
authorizations for the emergency use of drugs and biological products
during the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 8, 2021, FDA issued an EUA to
AZ for the biological product EVUSHELD (tixagevimab co-packaged with
cilgavimab), subject to the terms of the Authorization. On December 22,
2021, FDA issued an EUA to Pfizer for the drug PAXLOVID (nirmatrelvir
co-packaged with ritonavir), subject to the terms of the Authorization.
On December 23, 2021, FDA issued an EUA to Merck for the drug
molnupiravir, subject to the terms of the Authorization. The initial
Authorizations, which are included below in their entirety after
section IV of this document (not including the authorized versions of
the fact sheets and other written materials), provide an explanation of
the reasons for issuance, as required by section 564(h)(1) of the FD&C
Act. Any subsequent reissuances of these Authorizations can be found on
FDA's web page at: <a href="https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization">https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization</a>.
IV. Electronic Access
An electronic version of this document and the full text of the
Authorizations and are available on the internet at: <a href="https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization">https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization</a>.
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P
[[Page 6580]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.011
[[Page 6581]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.012
[[Page 6582]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.013
[[Page 6583]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.014
[[Page 6584]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.015
[[Page 6585]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.016
[[Page 6586]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.017
[[Page 6587]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.018
[[Page 6588]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.019
[[Page 6589]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.020
[[Page 6590]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.021
[[Page 6591]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.022
[[Page 6592]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.023
[[Page 6593]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.024
[[Page 6594]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.025
[[Page 6595]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.026
[[Page 6596]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.027
[[Page 6597]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.028
[[Page 6598]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.029
[[Page 6599]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.030
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.031
[[Page 6600]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.032
[[Page 6601]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.033
[[Page 6602]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.034
[[Page 6603]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.035
[[Page 6604]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.036
[[Page 6605]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.037
[[Page 6606]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.038
[[Page 6607]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.039
[[Page 6608]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.040
[[Page 6609]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.041
[[Page 6610]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04FE22.042
Dated: January 28, 2022.
Lauren K. Roth,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2022-02359 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-C
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 4, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.