Nonsterile medical devices that are
labeled as sterile but are in interstate transit to a facility to
be sterilized are normally considered by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to be adulterated and misbranded. FDA
regulations established a control mechanism by which firms may
manufacture and label medical devices as "sterile" at one
establishment and ship the devices in interstate commerce for
actual sterilization at another establishment, a practice that
facilitates the processing of devices and is economically necessary
for some firms. Manufacturers and sterilizers may sign an agreement
containing instructions for maintaining accountability of the
number of units in each shipment, acknowledgment that the devices
are nonsterile and are being shipped for further processing, and
specifications for the product's sterilization processing. This
agreement allows the manufacturer to ship adulterated or misbranded
products to be sterilized without initiating regulatory action and
provides FDA with a means to protect consumers from use of
nonsterile products. The agreement must include: (a) Instructions
for maintaining accountability of the number of units in each
shipment; (b) acknowledgment that the devices are nonsterile, being
shipped for further processing; and (c) specifications for
sterilization processing. These agreements must be retained for two
years, as FDA may review them up to two years after final shipment
or delivery of devices.
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Our estimated burden for the
information collection reflects an overall increase of 900 total
hours and a corresponding increase of 400 records/disclosures. We
attribute this to an increase in the number of agreements that we
have seen in inspection data received over the last few years.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.