(a) The Commissioner shall establish a permanent five-member Conflict of Interest Review Board, which shall review and make recommendations to the Commissioner on all specific or policy matters relating to conflicts of interest arising within the Food and Drug Administration that are forwarded to it by: (1) The Associate Commissioner for Management and Operations or (2) anyone who is the subject of an adverse determination by the Associate Commissioner for Management and Operations on any matter arising under the conflict of interest laws, except a determination of an apparent violation of law. The Director, Division of Ethics and Program Integrity, Office of Management and Operations, shall serve as executive secretary of the Review Board.

(b) It shall be the responsibility of every Food and Drug Administration employee with whom any specific or policy issue relating to conflicts of interest is raised, or who otherwise wishes to have any such matter resolved, to forward the matter to the Associate Commissioner for Management and Operations for resolution, except that reporting of apparent violations of law are governed by § 19.21.

(c) All general policy relating to conflicts of interest shall be established in guidance documents pursuant to the provisions of § 10.90(b) of this chapter and whenever feasible shall be incorporated in regulations in this subpart.

(d) All decisions relating to specific individuals shall be placed in a public file established for this purpose by the Division of Freedom of Information, e.g., a determination that a consultant may serve on an advisory committee with specific limitations or with public disclosure of stock holdings, except that such determination shall be written in a way that does not identify the individual in the following situations:

(1) A determination that an employee must dispose of prohibited financial interests or refrain from incompatible outside activities in accordance with established Department or agency regulations.

(2) A determination that a proposed consultant is not eligible for employment by the agency.

(3) A determination that public disclosure of any information would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy in violation of § 20.63 of this chapter.