The Food and Drug Administration's conclusions on the effectiveness of drugs are currently being published in the Federal Register as Drug Efficacy Study Implementation (DESI) Notices and as Notices of Opportunity for Hearing. The specific products listed in these notices include only those that were introduced into the market through the new drug procedures from 1938-62 and were submitted for review by the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council (NAS-NRC), Drug Efficacy Study Group. Many products which are identical to, related to, or similar to the products listed in these notices have been marketed under different names or by different firms during this same period or since 1962 without going through the new drug procedures or the Academy review. Even though these products are not listed in the notices, they are covered by the new drug applications reviewed and thus are subject to these notices. All persons with an interest in a product that is identical, related, or similar to a drug listed in a drug efficacy notice or a notice of opportunity for a hearing will be given the same opportunity as the applicant to submit data and information, to request a hearing, and to participate in any hearing. It is not feasible for the Food and Drug Administration to list all products which are covered by an NDA and thus subject to each notice. However, it is essential that the findings and conclusions that a drug product is a “new drug” or that there is a lack of evidence to show that a drug product is safe or effective be applied to all identical, related, and similar drug products to which they are reasonably applicable. Any product not in compliance with an applicable drug efficacy notice is in violation of section 505 (new drugs) and/or section 502 (misbranding) of the act.

An identical, related, or similar drug includes other brands, potencies, dosage forms, salts, and esters of the same drug moiety as well as of any drug moiety related in chemical structure or known pharmacological properties.

Where experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of drugs would conclude that the findings and conclusions, stated in a drug efficacy notice or notice of opportunity for hearing, that a drug product is a “new drug” or that there is a lack of evidence to show that a drug product is safe or effective are applicable to an identical, related, or similar drug product, such product is affected by the notice. A combination drug product containing a drug that is identical, related, or similar to a drug named in a notice may also be subject to the findings and conclusions in a notice that a drug product is a “new drug” or that there is a lack of evidence to show that a drug product is safe or effective.

Any person may request an opinion on the applicability of such a notice to a specific product by writing to the Food and Drug Administration at the address shown in paragraph (e) of this section.

Manufacturers and distributors of drugs should review their products as drug efficacy notices are published and assure that identical, related, or similar products comply with all applicable provisions of the notices.

The published notices and summary lists of the conclusions are of particular interest to drug purchasing agents. These agents should take particular care to assure that the same purchasing policy applies to drug products that are identical, related, or similar to those named in the drug efficacy notices. The Food and Drug Administration applies the same regulatory policy to all such products. In many instances a determination can readily be made as to the applicability of a drug efficacy notice by an individual who is knowledgeable about drugs and their indications for use. Where the relationships are more subtle and not readily recognized, the purchasing agent may request an opinion by writing to the Food and Drug Administration at the address shown in paragraph (e) of this section.

Interested parties may submit to the Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Office of Compliance, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, the names of drug products, and of their manufacturers or distributors, that should be the subject of the same purchasing and regulatory policies as those reviewed by the Drug Efficacy Study Group. Appropriate action, including referral to purchasing officials of various government agencies, will be taken.

This regulation does not apply to OTC drugs identical, similar, or related to a drug in the Drug Efficacy Study unless there has been or is notification in the Federal Register that a drug will not be subject to an OTC panel review pursuant to §§ 330.10, 330.11, and 330.5 of this chapter.