Mandatory debarment; certain drug applications
Corporations, partnerships, and associations
If the Secretary finds that a person other than an individual has been convicted, after , 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.
Individuals
Permissive debarment; certain drug applications; food imports
In general
Persons subject to permissive debarment; certain drug applications
Corporations, partnerships, and associations
Individuals
Persons subject to permissive debarment; food or drug importation
Stay of certain orders
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.
Definition
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.
Debarment period and considerations
Effect of debarment
Debarment periods
In general
Notification
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.
Considerations
Termination of debarment
Application
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.
Deadline
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.
Action by the Secretary
Corporations
Conviction reversal
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.
Application
Individuals
Conviction reversal
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.
Application
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.
Special termination
Application
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.
Corporations
Individuals
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.
Secretarial action
Publication and list of debarred persons
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.
Temporary denial of approval
In general
Applicable period
In general
Extension
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.
Informal hearing
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.
Suspension authority
In general
Public health waiver
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.
Termination of suspension
Procedure
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.
Judicial review
In general
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.
Exception
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.
Certification
Applicability
Conviction
Effective dates
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 . Subsection (k) shall not apply to applications submitted to the Secretary before .
Devices; mandatory debarment regarding third-party inspections and reviews
In general
section 331(gg) of this titlesection 383(b) of this titleIf the Secretary finds that a person has been convicted of a felony under , 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 .
Debarment period
Termination of debarment; judicial review; other matters
lSubsections (c)(3), (d), (e), (i), (j), and ()(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.
June 25, 1938, ch. 675, § 306Pub. L. 102–282, § 2106 Stat. 150Pub. L. 105–115, title I, § 125(b)(2)(C)111 Stat. 2325Pub. L. 107–188, title III, § 304(a)116 Stat. 665Pub. L. 107–250, title II, § 203116 Stat. 1610Pub. L. 115–271, title III, § 3022(b)(2)132 Stat. 3938(, as added , , ; amended , , ; –(c), , , 666; , , ; , , .)
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
section 336 of this titleA prior section 306 of act , was renumbered section 309 and is classified to .
Amendments
Pub. L. 115–271, § 3022(b)(2)(A)(i)2018—Subsec. (b)(1). , inserted “or (3)” after “paragraph (2)” in introductory provisions.
Pub. L. 115–271, § 3022(b)(2)(A)(ii)Subsec. (b)(1)(D). –(v), added subpar. (D).
Pub. L. 115–271, § 3022(b)(2)(B)(i)Subsec. (b)(3). , inserted “or drug” after “food” in heading.
Pub. L. 115–271, § 3022(b)(2)(B)(ii)Subsec. (b)(3)(C), (D). –(iv), added subpars. (C) and (D).
Pub. L. 115–271, § 3022(b)(2)(C)Subsec. (b)(5). , added par. (5).
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(1)2002—Subsec. (a). , substituted “Mandatory debarment; certain drug applications” for “Mandatory debarment” in heading.
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(2)(A)Subsec. (b). , substituted “Permissive debarment; certain drug applications; food imports” for “Permissive debarment” in heading.
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(a)(1)Subsec. (b)(1)(C). , added subpar. (C).
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(2)(B)Subsec. (b)(2). , 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.
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (b)(3), (4). , (C), added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4).
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(3)Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(iii). , substituted “paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (b)” for “subsection (b)(2)”.
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(4)(A)Subsec. (d)(3)(A)(i). , substituted “subsection (a)(1) or paragraph (2)(A) or (3) of subsection (b)” for “subsection (a)(1) or (b)(2)(A)”.
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(4)(B)Subsec. (d)(3)(A)(ii)(II). , inserted “in applicable cases,” before “sufficient audits”.
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(4)(C)Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(i). , inserted “or subsection (b)(3)” after “subsection (b)(2)(B)”.
Pub. L. 107–188, § 304(b)(4)(C)Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(ii). , (D), inserted “or subsection (b)(3)” after “subsection (b)(2)(B)” and “or the food importation process, as the case may be” before period.
lPub. L. 107–188, § 304(c)Subsec. ()(2). , 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)”.
Pub. L. 107–250Subsec. (m). added subsec. (m).
Pub. L. 105–1151997—Subsec. (d)(4)(B)(ii). struck out “or 357” after “355”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Construction
Pub. L. 102–282, § 7106 Stat. 162
Congressional Findings
Pub. L. 102–282, § 1(c)106 Stat. 149