(a) Before the first of each month, and at least 15 days in advance of a meeting, the Commissioner will publish a notice in the Federal Register of all advisory committee meetings to be held during the month. Any advisory committee meetings for that month called after the publication of the general monthly notice are to be announced in the Federal Register on an individual basis at least 15 days in advance. The Commissioner may authorize an exception to these notice requirements in an emergency or for other reasons requiring an immediate meeting of an advisory committee, in which case public notice will be given at the earliest time and in the most accessible form feasible including, whenever possible, publication in the Federal Register.

(b) The Federal Register notice will include -

(1) The name of the committee;

(2) The date, time, and place of the meeting;

(3) The general function of the committee;

(4) A list of all agenda items, showing whether each will be discussed in an open or closed portion of the meeting;

(5) If any portion of the meeting is closed, a statement of the time of the open and closed portions;

(6) The nature of the subjects to be discussed during, and the reasons for closing, any closed portion of the meeting;

(7) The time set aside for oral statements and other public participation;

(8) The name, address, and telephone number of the advisory committee Designated Federal Officer and any other agency employee designated as responsible for the administrative support for the advisory committee;

(9) A statement that written submissions may be made to the advisory committee through the Designated Federal Officer at any time, unless a cutoff date has been established under § 14.35(d)(2);

(10) When a notice is published in the Federal Register less than 15 days before a meeting, an explanation for the lateness of the notice; and

(c) If a public hearing before an advisory committee is used in lieu of a formal evidentiary public hearing under § 14.1(a)(3), an initial notice of hearing is to be published separately in the Federal Register containing all the information described in § 12.32(e). This procedure may be used for any other hearing before an advisory committee when the Commissioner concludes, as a matter of discretion, that it would be informative to the public.

(d) A list of advisory committee meetings will be distributed to the press by the Associate Commissioner for Public Affairs.

(a) No advisory committee may conduct a meeting except at the call or with the advance approval of, and with an agenda approved by, the designated Federal employee or alternate. No meeting may be held in the absence of the designated Federal employee.

(1) If any matter is added to the agenda after its publication in the Federal Register under § 14.20(b)(4), an attempt is to be made to inform persons known to be interested in the matter, and the change is to be announced at the beginning of the open portion of the meeting.

(2) The advisory committee meeting is to be conducted in accordance with the approved final agenda insofar as practical.

(b) Advisory committee meetings will be held at places that are reasonably accessible to the public. All advisory committee meetings will be held in Washington, DC, or Rockville, MD, or the immediate vicinity, unless the Commissioner receives and approves a written request from the advisory committee for a different location. A different location may be approved when one or more of the following applies:

(1) The total cost of the meeting to the Government will be reduced.

(2) A substantial number of the committee members will be at the location at no expense to FDA for other reasons, e.g., for a meeting of a professional association.

(3) It is a central location more readily accessible to committee members.

(4) There is a need for increased participation available at that location.

(5) The committee wishes to review work or facilities in a specific location.

(6) The committee is concerned with matters that functionally or historically occur in some other location, e.g., the Science Advisory Board of the National Center for Toxicological Research will generally hold meetings in the Little Rock, AR, vicinity.

(c) Advisory committee members may, with the approval of FDA, conduct onsite visits relevant to their work.

(d) Unless the committee charter provides otherwise, a quorum for an advisory committee is a majority of the current voting members of the committee, except as provided in § 14.125(c) for TEPRSSC. Any matter before the advisory committee is to be decided by a majority vote of the voting members present at the time, except that the designated Federal official may require that any final report be voted upon by all current voting members of the committee. Any current voting member of the committee may file a separate report with additional or minority views.

(e) If space is available, any interested person may attend any portion of any advisory committee meeting which is not closed.

(f) Whenever feasible, meetings are to be held in government facilities or other facilities involving the least expense to the public. The size of the meeting room is to be reasonable, considering such factors as the size of the committee, the number of persons expected to attend a meeting, and the resources and facilities available.

(g) The Commissioner may authorize a meeting to be held by conference telephone call. For these meetings, a speaker phone will be provided in a conference room located in Washington, DC, or Rockville, MD, or the immediate vicinity, to permit public participation in open portions of the meetings, as provided in §§ 14.25 and 14.29. These meetings generally will be brief, and authorized -

(1) For the purpose of taking final votes or otherwise confirming actions taken by the committee at other meetings; or

(2) Where time does not permit a meeting to be held at a central location.

(h) Any portion of a meeting will be closed by the committee Chairperson only when matters are to be discussed which the Commissioner has determined may be considered in closed session under § 14.27(b). If a portion of the meeting is closed, the closed portion will be held after the conclusion of the open portion whenever practicable.

(i) Any committee member may take notes during meetings and report and discuss committee deliberations after a meeting is completed and before official minutes or a report are available, within the rules and regulations adopted by FDA and by the advisory committee with the concurrence of FDA, including all of the following:

(1) There may be no attribution of individual views expressed in a closed session or revealing of numerical votes.

(2) There may be no reporting or discussion of any particular matter if the committee or FDA specifically so directs, e.g., where deliberations are incomplete or involve a sensitive regulatory decision that requires preparation or implementation.

(3) There may be no reporting or discussion of information prohibited from public disclosure under § 14.75.

(4) Notes or minutes kept or reports prepared by a committee member have no status or effect unless adopted into the official minutes or report by the committee.

An advisory committee meeting has the following portions:

(a) The open public hearing. Every committee meeting includes an open portion, which constitutes a public hearing during which interested persons may present relevant information or views orally or in writing. The hearing is conducted in accordance with § 14.29.

(b) The open committee discussion. A committee discusses any matter pending before it in an open portion of its meeting unless the meeting has been closed for that matter under § 14.27. To the maximum extent feasible, consistent with the policy expressed in § 14.27, a committee conducts its discussion of pending matters in an open portion. No public participation is permissible during this portion of the meeting except with the consent of the committee Chairperson.

(c) The closed presentation of data. Information prohibited from public disclosure under part 20 and the regulations referenced therein is presented to the committee in a closed portion of its meeting. However, if information is in the form of a summary that is not prohibited from public disclosure, the presentation is to be made in an open portion of a meeting.

(d) The closed committee deliberations. Deliberations about matters before an advisory committee may be held in a closed portion of a meeting only upon an appropriate determination by the Commissioner under § 14.27.

(a) No committee meeting may be entirely closed. A portion of a meeting may be closed only in accordance with a written determination by the Commissioner under this section.

(b) The Designated Federal Officer or other designated agency employee shall prepare the initial request for a determination to close a portion of a meeting, specifying the matter(s) to be discussed during the closed portion and the reasons why the portion should be closed. The Commissioner, based upon this request and with the concurrence of the Chief Counsel, will determine whether to close a portion of a meeting. The reasons for closing a portion of a meeting will be announced in the Federal Register notice of the meeting under § 14.20 in accordance with the following rules:

(1) Any determination to close a portion of a meeting restricts the closing to the shortest possible time consistent with the policy in this section.

(2) A portion of a meeting may be closed only if the Commissioner determines that the closing is permitted under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), and that the closing is necessary.

(3) Portions of meetings may ordinarily be closed if they concern the review, discussion, and evaluation of drafts or regulations, guidance documents or similar preexisting internal agency documents, but only if their premature disclosure would significantly impede proposed agency action; review of trade secrets and confidential commercial or financial information; consideration of matters involving investigatory files compiled for law enforcement purposes; and review of matters, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

(4) Portions of meetings ordinarily may not be closed if they concern review, discussion, and evaluation of general preclinical and clinical test protocols and procedures for a class of drugs or devices; consideration of labeling requirements for a class of marketed drugs and devices; review of information on specific investigational or marketed drugs and devices that have previously been made public; presentation of any other information not exempt from public disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c); the formulation of advice and recommendations to FDA on matters that do not independently justify closing.

(5) No portion of a meeting devoted to matters other than those designated in paragraph (b) (1) through (3) of this section may be closed.

(6) A matter which is properly considered in an open portion of a meeting may instead be considered in a closed portion only if it is so inextricably intertwined with matters to be discussed in a closed portion that it is not feasible to separate them or discussion of the matter in an open portion would compromise the matters to be discussed in the closed portion.

(c) Attendance at a closed portion of a meeting is governed by the following rules:

(1) A portion of a meeting closed for the presentation or discussion of information that constitutes a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information as defined in § 20.61 may be attended only by voting advisory committee members, nonvoting members representing consumer interests who are also special government employees as provided in § 14.80(b), the Designated Federal Officer of the advisory committee, a transcriber, consultants, and such other regular employees of FDA (including members of the Office of the Chief Counsel) as the Chairperson of the advisory committee may invite, and by those persons authorized to be present under § 14.25(c), for presentation of information prohibited from public disclosure. A person making a presentation described in § 14.25(c) may be accompanied by a reasonable number of employees, consultants, or other persons in a commercial arrangement within the meaning of § 20.81(a).

(2) A portion of a meeting that has been closed for consideration of existing internal agency documents falling within § 20.62 where premature disclosure is likely to significantly impede proposed agency action; personnel, medical, and similar files, disclosure of which would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy within the meaning of § 20.63; or investigatory records compiled for law enforcement purposes as defined in § 20.64 may be attended only by committee members (voting and nonvoting), the Designated Federal Officer of the committee, a transcriber, and other regular employees of FDA (including members of the Office of the Chief Counsel) whom the Chairperson of the committee may invite. Consultants, individuals performing personal service contracts, employees of other Federal agencies, and the general public may not attend such portions.

(3) If a person other than a person permitted to attend in accordance with paragraph (c) (1) and (2) of this section attempts to attend a closed portion of a meeting without the approval of the Designated Federal Officer and the Chairperson, and the matter is brought to their attention, the person will be required to leave the meeting immediately. This inadvertent and unauthorized attendance does not enable other unauthorized persons to attend, nor does it, of itself, constitute grounds for release of transcripts of closed portions or any other documents otherwise exempt from disclosure under § 14.75 and part 20.

(4) If a person other than a person permitted to attend in accordance with paragraphs (c) (1) and (2) of this section is allowed by the Designated Federal Officer and the Chairperson to attend a closed portion of a meeting, that portion is open to attendance by any interested person.

(a) For each meeting, the open portion for public participation, which constitutes a public hearing under § 14.25(a), will be at least 1 hour, unless public participation does not last that long, and may last for whatever longer time the committee Chairperson determines will facilitate the work of the committee. The Federal Register notice published under § 14.20 will designate the time specifically reserved for the hearing, which is ordinarily the first portion of the meeting. Further public participation in any open portion of the meeting under § 14.25(b) is solely at the discretion of the Chairperson.

(b) An interested person who wishes to be assured of the right to make an oral presentation at a meeting shall inform the Designated Federal Officer or other designated agency employee, orally or in writing, before the meeting.

(1) The person shall state the general nature of the presentation and the approximate time desired. Whenever possible, all written information to be discussed by that person at the meeting should be furnished in advance to the Designated Federal Officer or other designated agency employee. This material may be distributed or mailed by FDA to the committee members in advance of the meeting if time permits, and otherwise will be distributed to the members when they arrive for the meeting. The mailing or distribution may be undertaken only by FDA unless FDA grants permission to a person to mail or distribute the material

(2) Before the meeting, the Designated Federal Officer or other designated agency employee shall determine the amount of time allocated to each person for oral presentation and the time that the presentation is to begin. Each person will be so informed in writing, if time permits, or by telephone. FDA may require persons with common interests to make joint presentations.

(c) The Chairperson of the committee shall preside at the meeting in accordance with § 14.30 and be accompanied by other committee members, who serve as a panel in conducting the hearing portion of the meeting.

(d) Each person may use the allotted time as desired, consistent with an orderly hearing. A person may be accompanied by additional persons, and may present any written information or views for inclusion in the record of the hearing, subject to the requirements of § 14.35(c).

(e) If a person is absent at the time specified for that person's presentation, the persons following will appear in order. An attempt will be made to hear the person at the conclusion of the hearing. Interested persons attending the hearing who did not request an opportunity to make an oral presentation may be given an opportunity to do so at the discretion of the Chairperson.

(f) The Chairperson and other members may question a person concerning that person's presentation. No other person, however, may question the person. The Chairperson may allot additional time when it is in the public interest, but may not reduce the time allotted without consent of the person.

(g) Participants may question a committee member only with that member's permission and only about matters before the committee.

(h) The hearing is informal, and the rules of evidence do not apply. No motions or objections relating to the admissibility of information and views may be made or considered, but other participants may comment upon or rebut matters presented. No participant may interrupt the presentation of another participant.

(a) The advisory committee Chairperson has the authority to conduct hearings and meetings, including the authority to adjourn a hearing or meeting if the Chairperson determines that adjournment is in the public interest, to discontinue discussion of a matter, to conclude the open portion of a meeting, or to take any other action to further a fair and expeditious hearing or meeting.

(b) If the Chairperson is not a full-time employee of FDA, the Designated Federal Officer or other designated agency employee, or alternate, is to be the designated Federal employee who is assigned to the advisory committee. The designated Federal employee is also authorized to adjourn a hearing or meeting if the employee determines adjournment to be in the public interest.

(a) A committee may confer with any person who may have information or views relevant to any matter pending before the committee.

(b) An interested person may submit to the committee a written request that it confer with specific persons about any matter pending before the committee. The request is to contain adequate justification. The committee may, in its discretion, grant the request.

(c) A committee may confer with a person who is not a Federal Government executive branch employee only during the open portions of a meeting. The person may, however, submit views in writing to the committee as part of the administrative record under § 14.70. The person may participate at the closed portions of a meeting only if appointed as a special Government employee by the Commissioner as provided in paragraph (e) of this section. This paragraph (c) is not intended to bar the testimony of a person during a closed portion of a meeting about matters prohibited from public disclosure under §§ 14.25(c) and 14.27(c).

(d) To prevent inadvertent violation of Federal conflict of interest laws and laws prohibiting disclosure of trade secrets (18 U.S.C. 208, 21 U.S.C. 331(j), 18 U.S.C. 1905), Federal executive branch employees who are not employees of the Department may not confer, testify, or otherwise participate (other than as observers) at any portion of an advisory committee meeting unless they are appointed as special Government employees by the Commissioner under paragraph (e) of this section. this paragraph does not apply to Federal executive branch employees who are appointed as members of TEPRSSC, as provided in § 14.127.

(e) The Commissioner may appoint persons as special Government employees to be consultants to an advisory committee. Consultants may be appointed to provide expertise, generally concerning a highly technical matter, not readily available from the members of the committee. Consultants may be either from outside the Government or from agencies other than the Food and Drug Administration. Reports, data, information, and other written submissions made to a public advisory committee by a consultant are part of the administrative record itemized in § 14.70.

The Commissioner shall prepare and provide to all committee members a compilation of materials bearing upon members' duties and responsibilities, including -

(a) All applicable conflict of interest laws and regulations and a summary of their principal provisions;

(b) All applicable laws and regulations relating to trade secrets and confidential commercial or financial information that may not be disclosed publicly and a summary of their principal provisions;

(c) All applicable laws, regulations, and guidance documents relating to the subject matter covered by the advisory committee and a summary of their principal provisions;

(d) All applicable laws, regulations, including the regulations in part 20 of this chapter, advisory committee charters, Federal Register notices, curricula vitae, rules adopted by the advisory committee, and other material relating to the formation, composition, and operation of the advisory committee, and a summary of their principal provisions;

(e) Instructions on whom to contact when questions arise; and

(f) Other material relating to FDA and the subject matter covered by the committee which may facilitate the work of the committee.

(a) Ten copies of written submissions to a committee are to be sent to the Designated Federal Officer unless an applicable Federal Register notice or other regulations in this chapter specify otherwise. Submissions are subject to the provisions of § 10.20, except that it is not necessary to send copies to the Division of Dockets Management.

(b) At the request of a committee, or on the Commissioner's own initiative, the Commissioner may issue in the Federal Register a notice requesting the submission to the committee of written information and views pertinent to a matter being reviewed by the committee. The notice may specify the manner in which the submission should be made.

(c) At the request of a committee, or on the Commissioner's own initiative, the Commissioner may at any time request the applicant or sponsor of an application or petition about a specific product on which action is pending before FDA, and is being reviewed by an advisory committee, to present or discuss safety, effectiveness, or other data concerning the product during a regularly scheduled meeting of the committee. The request may be for an oral presentation or for a concise, well-organized written summary of pertinent information for review by the committee members before the meeting, or both. Unless specified otherwise, one copy of the written summary along with a proposed agenda outlining the topics to be covered and identifying the participating industry staff members or consultants that will present each topic is to be submitted to the Designated Federal Officer or other designated agency employee at least 3 weeks before the meeting.

(d) An interested person may submit to a committee written information or views on any matter being reviewed. Voluminous data is to be accompanied by a summary. A submission is to be made to the Designated Federal Officer and not directly to a committee member.

(1) FDA will distribute submissions to each member, either by mail or at the next meeting. Submissions will be considered by the committee in its review of the matter.

(2) A committee may establish, and give public notice of, a cutoff date after which submissions about a matter will no longer be received or considered.

(e) The Commissioner will provide the committee all information the Commissioner deems relevant. A member will, upon request, also be provided any material available to FDA which the member believes appropriate for an independent judgment on the matter, e.g., raw data underlying a summary or report, or a briefing on the legal aspects of the matter.

(a) In addition to these rules, an advisory committee may, with the concurrence of the designated Federal employee, adopt additional rules which are not inconsistent with this subpart or with other legal requirements.

(b) Any additional rules will be included in the minutes of the meeting when adopted and in the materials compiled under § 14.33 and will be available for public disclosure under § 14.65(c).