If the Secretary finds that a person other than an individual has been convicted, after May 13, 1992, of a felony under Federal law for conduct relating to the development or approval, including the process for development or approval, of any abbreviated drug application, the Secretary shall debar such person from submitting, or assisting in the submission of, any such application.
If the Secretary finds that an individual has been convicted of a felony under Federal law for conduct-
the Secretary shall debar such individual from providing services in any capacity to a person that has an approved or pending drug product application.
The Secretary, on the Secretary's own initiative or in response to a petition, may, in accordance with paragraph (2) or (3), debar-
The following persons are subject to debarment under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1):
Any person other than an individual that the Secretary finds has been convicted-
if the Secretary finds that the type of conduct which served as the basis for such conviction undermines the process for the regulation of drugs.
if the Secretary finds that the type of conduct which served as the basis for such conviction undermines the process for the regulation of drugs.
if the Secretary finds, on the basis of the conviction of such individual and other information, that such individual has demonstrated a pattern of conduct sufficient to find that there is reason to believe that such individual may violate requirements under this chapter relating to drug products.
if the Secretary finds that the type of conduct which served as the basis for such other individual's conviction undermines the process for the regulation of drugs.
A person is subject to debarment under paragraph (1)(C) if-
An order of the Secretary under clause (iii) or (iv) of paragraph (2)(B) shall not take effect until 30 days after the order has been issued.
For purposes of paragraph (3)(D), the term "pattern of importing or offering for import" means importing or offering for import a drug described in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (3)(D) in an amount, frequency, or dosage that is inconsistent with personal or household use by the importer.
The Secretary-
The Secretary shall debar a person under subsection (a) or (b) for the following periods:
The Secretary may determine whether debarment periods shall run concurrently or consecutively in the case of a person debarred for multiple offenses.
Upon a conviction for an offense described in subsection (a) or (b) or upon execution of an agreement with the United States to plead guilty to such an offense, the person involved may notify the Secretary that the person acquiesces to debarment and such person's debarment shall commence upon such notification.
In determining the appropriateness and the period of a debarment of a person under subsection (b) and any period of debarment beyond the minimum specified in subparagraph (A)(i) of paragraph (2), the Secretary shall consider where applicable-
Any person that is debarred under subsection (a) (other than a person permanently debarred) or any person that is debarred under subsection (b) may apply to the Secretary for termination of the debarment under this subsection. Any information submitted to the Secretary under this paragraph does not constitute an amendment or supplement to pending or approved abbreviated drug applications.
The Secretary shall grant or deny any application respecting a debarment which is submitted under paragraph (1) within 180 days of the date the application is submitted.
If the conviction which served as the basis for the debarment of a person under subsection (a)(1) or paragraph (2)(A) or (3) of subsection (b) is reversed, the Secretary shall withdraw the order of debarment.
Upon application submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall terminate the debarment of a person if the Secretary finds that-
In the case of persons debarred under subsection (a)(1), such termination shall take effect no earlier than the expiration of one year from the date of the debarment.
If the conviction which served as the basis for the debarment of an individual under subsection (a)(2) or clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(B) or subsection (b)(3) is reversed, the Secretary shall withdraw the order of debarment.
Upon application submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall terminate the debarment of an individual who has been debarred under subsection (b)(2)(B) or subsection (b)(3) if such termination serves the interests of justice and adequately protects the integrity of the drug approval process or the food importation process, as the case may be.
Any person that is debarred under subsection (a)(1) (other than a person permanently debarred under subsection (c)(2)(A)(i)) or any individual who is debarred under subsection (a)(2) may apply to the Secretary for special termination of debarment under this subsection. Any information submitted to the Secretary under this subparagraph does not constitute an amendment or supplement to pending or approved abbreviated drug applications.
Upon an application submitted under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may take the action described in subparagraph (D) if the Secretary, after an informal hearing, finds that-
Upon an application submitted under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may take the action described in subparagraph (D) if the Secretary, after an informal hearing, finds that such individual has provided substantial assistance in the investigations or prosecutions of offenses which are described in subsection (a) or (b) or which relate to any matter under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration.
The action referred to in subparagraphs (B) and (C) is-
whichever best serves the interest of justice and protects the integrity of the drug approval process.
The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register the name of any person debarred under subsection (a) or (b), the effective date of the debarment, and the period of the debarment. The Secretary shall also maintain and make available to the public a list, updated no less often than quarterly, of such persons, of the effective dates and minimum periods of such debarments, and of the termination of debarments.
The Secretary, on the Secretary's own initiative or in response to a petition, may, in accordance with paragraph (3), refuse by order, for the period prescribed by paragraph (2), to approve any abbreviated drug application submitted by any person-
Such an order may be modified or terminated at any time.
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a denial of approval of an application of a person under paragraph (1) shall be in effect for a period determined by the Secretary but not to exceed 18 months beginning on the date the Secretary finds that the conditions described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) exist. The Secretary shall terminate such denial-
If, at the end of the period described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary determines that a person has been criminally charged for an action described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), the Secretary may extend the period of denial of approval of an application for a period not to exceed 18 months. The Secretary shall terminate such extension if the charges have been dismissed, if a judgment of acquittal has been entered, or if the Secretary determines that the finding described in subparagraph (A) was in error.
Within 10 days of the date an order is issued under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide such person with an opportunity for an informal hearing, to be held within such 10 days, on the decision of the Secretary to refuse approval of an abbreviated drug application. Within 60 days of the date on which such hearing is held, the Secretary shall notify the person given such hearing whether the Secretary's refusal of approval will be continued, terminated, or otherwise modified. Such notification shall be final agency action.
If-
the Secretary shall issue an order suspending the distribution of all drugs the development or approval of which was related to such conduct described in subparagraph (A) or suspending the distribution of all drugs approved under abbreviated drug applications of such person if the Secretary finds that such conduct may have affected the development or approval of a significant number of drugs which the Secretary is unable to identify. The Secretary shall exclude a drug from such order if the Secretary determines that such conduct was not likely to have influenced the safety or efficacy of such drug.
The Secretary shall, on the Secretary's own initiative or in response to a petition, waive the suspension under paragraph (1) (involving an action described in paragraph (1)(A)(i)) with respect to any drug if the Secretary finds that such waiver is necessary to protect the public health because sufficient quantities of the drug would not otherwise be available. The Secretary shall act on any petition seeking action under this paragraph within 180 days of the date the petition is submitted to the Secretary.
The Secretary shall withdraw an order of suspension of the distribution of a drug under subsection (g) if the person with respect to whom the order was issued demonstrates in a petition to the Secretary-
The Secretary shall act on a submission of a petition under this subsection within 180 days of the date of its submission and the Secretary may consider the petition concurrently with the suspension proceeding. Any information submitted to the Secretary under this subsection does not constitute an amendment or supplement to a pending or approved abbreviated drug application.
The Secretary may not take any action under subsection (a), (b), (c), (d)(3), (g), or (h) with respect to any person unless the Secretary has issued an order for such action made on the record after opportunity for an agency hearing on disputed issues of material fact. In the course of any investigation or hearing under this subsection, the Secretary may administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses, receive evidence, and issue subpoenas requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of evidence that relates to the matter under investigation.
Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person that is the subject of an adverse decision under subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), (f), (g), or (h) may obtain a review of such decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia or for the circuit in which the person resides, by filing in such court (within 60 days following the date the person is notified of the Secretary's decision) a petition requesting that the decision be modified or set aside.
Any person that is the subject of an adverse decision under clause (iii) or (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(B) may obtain a review of such decision by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or a district court of the United States for the district in which the person resides, by filing in such court (within 30 days following the date the person is notified of the Secretary's decision) a complaint requesting that the decision be modified or set aside. In such an action, the court shall determine the matter de novo.
Any application for approval of a drug product shall include-
For purposes of this section, a person is considered to have been convicted of a criminal offense-
Subsection (a), subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(2), clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (b)(2)(B), and subsection (b)(3)(A) shall not apply to a conviction which occurred more than 5 years before the initiation of an agency action proposed to be taken under subsection (a) or (b). Clauses (iii) and (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(B), subsection (b)(3)(B), and subsections (f) and (g) shall not apply to an act or action which occurred more than 5 years before the initiation of an agency action proposed to be taken under subsection (b), (f), or (g). Clause (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(B) shall not apply to an action which occurred before June 1, 1992. Subsection (k) shall not apply to applications submitted to the Secretary before June 1, 1992.
If the Secretary finds that a person has been convicted of a felony under section 331(gg) of this title, the Secretary shall debar such person from being accredited under section 360m(b) or 374(g)(2) of this title and from carrying out activities under an agreement described in section 383(b) of this title.
The Secretary shall debar a person under paragraph (1) for the following periods:
Subsections (c)(3), (d), (e), (i), (j), and (l)(1) apply with respect to a person (other than an individual) or an individual who is debarred under paragraph (1) to the same extent and in the same manner as such subsections apply with respect to a person who is debarred under subsection (a)(1), or an individual who is debarred under subsection (a)(2), respectively.
1So in original. Probably should be "section".
21 U.S.C. § 335a
EDITORIAL NOTES
PRIOR PROVISIONSA prior section 306 of act June 25, 1938, was renumbered section 309 and is classified to section 336 of this title.
AMENDMENTS2018-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 115-271, §3022(b)(2)(A)(i), inserted "or (3)" after "paragraph (2)" in introductory provisions.Subsec. (b)(1)(D). Pub. L. 115-271, §3022(b)(2)(A)(ii)-(v), added subpar. (D).Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115-271, §3022(b)(2)(B)(i), inserted "or drug" after "food" in heading.Subsec. (b)(3)(C), (D). Pub. L. 115-271, §3022(b)(2)(B)(ii)-(iv), added subpars. (C) and (D).Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 115-271, §3022(b)(2)(C), added par. (5). 2002-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(1), substituted "Mandatory debarment; certain drug applications" for "Mandatory debarment" in heading.Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(2)(A), substituted "Permissive debarment; certain drug applications; food imports" for "Permissive debarment" in heading. Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(a)(1), added subpar. (C). Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(2)(B), substituted "permissive debarment; certain drug applications" for "permissive debarment" in heading. Pub. L. 107-188, §304(a)(2)(A), inserted "subparagraph (A) or (B) of" before "paragraph (1)" in introductory provisions.Subsec. (b)(3), (4). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(a)(2)(B), (C), added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4).Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(iii). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(3), substituted "paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (b)" for "subsection (b)(2)".Subsec. (d)(3)(A)(i). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(4)(A), substituted "subsection (a)(1) or paragraph (2)(A) or (3) of subsection (b)" for "subsection (a)(1) or (b)(2)(A)". Subsec. (d)(3)(A)(ii)(II). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(4)(B), inserted "in applicable cases," before "sufficient audits". Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(i). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(4)(C), inserted "or subsection (b)(3)" after "subsection (b)(2)(B)".Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(b)(4)(C), (D), inserted "or subsection (b)(3)" after "subsection (b)(2)(B)" and "or the food importation process, as the case may be" before period.Subsec. (l)(2). Pub. L. 107-188, §304(c), in first sentence struck out "and" after "subsection (b)(2)," and inserted ",and subsection (b)(3)(A)" after "subsection (b)(2)(B)" and in second sentence inserted ",subsection (b)(3)(B)," after "subsection (b)(2)(B)". Subsec. (m). Pub. L. 107-250 added subsec. (m). 1997-Subsec. (d)(4)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 105-115 struck out "or 357" after "355".
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
CONSTRUCTION Pub. L. 102-282, §7, May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 162, provided that: "No amendment made by this Act [enacting this section and sections 335b and 335c of this title and amending sections 321, 336, 337, and 355 of this title] shall preclude any other civil, criminal, or administrative remedy provided under Federal or State law, including any private right of action against any person for the same action subject to any action or civil penalty under an amendment made by this Act."
CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS Pub. L. 102-282, §1(c), May 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 149, provided that: "The Congress finds that-"(1) there is substantial evidence that significant corruption occurred in the Food and Drug Administration's process of approving drugs under abbreviated drug applications,"(2) there is a need to establish procedures designed to restore and to ensure the integrity of the abbreviated drug application approval process and to protect the public health, and"(3) there is a need to establish procedures to bar individuals who have been convicted of crimes pertaining to the regulation of drug products from working for companies that manufacture or distribute such products."