Notice2026-01069
Authorization of Emergency Use of Certain Medical Devices During COVID-19; Availability
Primary source
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Published
January 21, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentFood and Drug Administration
Abstract
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) is announcing the issuance of Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) (the Authorizations) for certain medical devices related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). FDA has issued the Authorizations listed in this document under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Under 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. These 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), as amended on March 15, 2023, 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 the virus that causes COVID-19, and the subsequent declarations on February 4, 2020, March 2, 2020, and March 24, 2020, that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of the virus that causes COVID-19, personal respiratory protective devices, and medical devices, including alternative products used as medical devices, respectively, subject to the terms of any authorization issued under the FD&C Act. These Authorizations, which include an explanation of the reasons for issuance, are listed in this document, and can be accessed on FDA's website from the links indicated.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2541-2542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-01069]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA-2020-N-1584]
Authorization of Emergency Use of Certain Medical Devices During
COVID-19; Availability
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) is
announcing the issuance of Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) (the
Authorizations) for certain medical devices related to Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19). FDA has issued the Authorizations listed in
this document under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C
Act). Under 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. These 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), as amended on March 15,
2023, 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 the virus
that causes COVID-19, and the subsequent declarations on February 4,
2020, March 2, 2020, and March 24, 2020, that circumstances exist
justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics
for detection and/or diagnosis of the virus that causes COVID-19,
personal respiratory protective devices, and medical devices, including
alternative products used as medical devices, respectively, subject to
the terms of any authorization issued under the FD&C Act. These
Authorizations, which include an explanation of the reasons for
issuance, are listed in this document, and can be accessed on FDA's
website from the links indicated.
DATES: These Authorizations are effective on their date of issuance.
ADDRESSES: Submit written requests for single copies of an EUA to the
Office of Policy, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and
Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 66, Rm. 5441,
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 Authorization may be sent. See the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section for electronic access to the Authorization.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Sapsford-Medintz, Office of
Product Evaluation and Quality, Center for Devices and Radiological
Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg.
66, Rm. 3216, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 301-796-0311 (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 the public health protection against a biological, chemical,
radiological, or nuclear agent or 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
a biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agents when
there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.
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 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 of the 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.
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\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.
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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 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 section 505, 510(k),
512, or 515 of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 360b, or 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-
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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), 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. No other criteria for issuance have been prescribed by
regulation under section 564(c)(4) of the FD&C Act.
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\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.
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II. Electronic Access
An electronic version of this document and the full text of the
Authorizations are available on the internet and can be accessed from
<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>.
III. The Authorizations
FDA concluded that the criteria for the issuance of the following
Authorizations under section 564(c) of the FD&C Act are met, and
therefore authorized the emergency use of the following products for
diagnosing, treating, or preventing COVID-19 subject to the terms of
each Authorization. The Authorizations in their entirety, including any
authorized fact sheets and other written materials, can be accessed
from FDA's web page titled ``Emergency Use Authorization,'' available
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>. The list
that follows includes Authorizations issued from July 24, 2024, through
December 11, 2025, and we have included explanations of the reasons for
their issuance, as required by section 564(h)(1) of the FD&C Act.
Additionally, FDA has incorporated an EUA issued on June 10, 2024, that
was omitted from the previous compilation (89 FR 60432, July 25, 2024).
The EUAs can be accessed from FDA's web page: <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>.
FDA is hereby announcing the following Authorization for antigen
test for COVID-19, excluding multianalyte tests:
<bullet> LumiraDx UK Ltd.'s (an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of
Roche) \3\ LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test, re-issued on June 10, 2025.\4\
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\3\ On July 26, 2024, LumiraDx UK Ltd. and their US entity
LumiraDx Inc. became indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of Roche
Holding AG and Roche Holdings, Inc., respectively (collectively
referred to as ``Roche'' for ease of reference). Roche Diagnostics
Operations, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Roche Holdings, Inc.,
will act on behalf of LumiraDx UK Ltd. (an indirect, wholly owned
subsidiary of Roche).
\4\ As set forth in the EUAs for this product, FDA has concluded
that: (1) SARS-CoV-2 can cause a serious or life-threatening disease
or condition, including severe respiratory illness, to humans
infected by this virus; (2) based on the totality of scientific
evidence available to FDA, it is reasonable to believe that the
product may be effective in diagnosing COVID-19, and that the known
and potential benefits of the product, when used for diagnosing
COVID-19, outweigh the known and potential risks of such product;
and (3) there is no adequate, approved, and available alternative to
the emergency use of the product.
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FDA is hereby announcing the following Authorizations for
multianalyte tests:
<bullet> Aptitude Medical Systems Inc.'s Metrix COVID/Flu Test,
issued on February 21, 2025; \5\ and
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\5\ As set forth in the EUA for this product, FDA has concluded
that: (1) SARS-CoV-2 can cause a serious or life-threatening disease
or condition, including severe respiratory illness, to humans
infected by this virus; (2) based on the totality of scientific
evidence available to FDA, it is reasonable to believe that the
product may be effective in diagnosing COVID-19 through the
simultaneous detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2, influenza
A virus and/or influenza B virus RNA, and that the known and
potential benefits of the product when used for diagnosing COVID-19,
outweigh the known and potential risks of such product; and (3)
there is no adequate, approved, and available alternative to the
emergency use of the product.
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<bullet> Healgen Scientific, LLC's Healgen COVID-19/Flu A&B Ag
Combo Rapid Test Cassette (Swab), issued on June 10, 2024.\6\
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\6\ As set forth in the EUA for this product, FDA has concluded
that: (1) SARS-CoV-2 can cause a serious or life-threatening disease
or condition, including severe respiratory illness, to humans
infected by this virus; (2) based on the totality of scientific
evidence available to FDA, it is reasonable to believe that the
product may be effective in diagnosing COVID-19 through the
simultaneous detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2, influenza
A virus and/or influenza B virus protein antigens, and that the
known and potential benefits of the product when used for diagnosing
COVID-19, outweigh the known and potential risks of such product;
and (3) there is no adequate, approved, and available alternative to
the emergency use of the product.
Lowell M. Zeta,
Acting Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-01069 Filed 1-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 21, 2026.
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