If the course of the disease and the effects of the drug are sufficiently similar in adults and pediatric patients, the Secretary may conclude that pediatric effectiveness can be extrapolated from adequate and well-controlled studies in adults, usually supplemented with other information obtained in pediatric patients, such as pharmacokinetic studies.
A study may not be needed in each pediatric age group if data from one age group can be extrapolated to another age group.
A brief documentation of the scientific data supporting the conclusion under clauses (i) and (ii) shall be included in any pertinent reviews for the application under section 355 of this title or section 262 of title 42.
With respect to a drug or biological product described in paragraph (1)(B), the investigation described in this paragraph is a molecularly targeted pediatric cancer investigation, which shall be designed to yield clinically meaningful pediatric study data, gathered using appropriate formulations for each age group for which the study is required, regarding dosing, safety, and preliminary efficacy to inform potential pediatric labeling.
If the deferral extension under this subparagraph is requested by the applicant, the applicant shall submit the deferral extension request containing the information described in this subparagraph not less than 90 days prior to the date that the deferral would expire. The Secretary shall respond to such request not later than 45 days after the receipt of such letter. If the Secretary grants such an extension, the specified date shall be the extended date. The sponsor of the required assessment under paragraph (1)(A) or reports on the investigation under paragraph (1)(B) shall not be issued a letter described in subsection (d) unless the specified or extended date of submission for such required studies has passed or if the request for an extension is pending. For a deferral that has expired prior to July 9, 2012, or that will expire prior to 270 days after July 9, 2012, a deferral extension shall be requested by an applicant not later than 180 days after July 9, 2012. The Secretary shall respond to any such request as soon as practicable, but not later than 1 year after July 9, 2012. Nothing in this clause shall prevent the Secretary from updating the status of a study or studies publicly if components of such study or studies are late or delayed.
If a partial waiver is granted on the ground that it is not possible to develop a pediatric formulation, the waiver shall cover only the pediatric groups requiring that formulation. An applicant seeking such a partial waiver shall submit to the Secretary documentation detailing why a pediatric formulation cannot be developed and, if the waiver is granted, the applicant’s submission shall promptly be made available to the public in an easily accessible manner, including through posting on the Web site of the Food and Drug Administration.
If a waiver is granted on the ground that it is not possible to develop a pediatric formulation, the waiver shall cover only the pediatric groups requiring that formulation. An applicant seeking either a full or partial waiver shall submit to the Secretary documentation detailing why a pediatric formulation cannot be developed and, if the waiver is granted, the applicant’s submission shall promptly be made available to the public in an easily accessible manner, including through posting on the Web site of the Food and Drug Administration.
Nothing in this subsection alters or amends section 331(j) of this title or section 552 of title 5 or section 1905 of title 18.
An applicant subject to subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary an initial pediatric study plan prior to the submission of the assessments described under subsection (a)(2) or the investigation described in subsection (a)(3).
Not later than 90 calendar days following the meeting under paragraph (2)(C)(i)(II) or the receipt of a written response from the Secretary under paragraph (2)(C)(iii), the applicant shall document agreement on the initial pediatric study plan in a submission to the Secretary marked “Agreed Initial Pediatric Study Plan”, and the Secretary shall confirm such agreement to the applicant in writing not later than 30 calendar days of receipt of such agreed initial pediatric study plan.
If the agreed initial pediatric study plan contains a request from the applicant for a deferral, partial waiver, or waiver under this section, the written confirmation under paragraph (3) shall include a recommendation from the Secretary as to whether such request meets the standards under paragraphs (3) or (4) of subsection (a).
At the initiative of the Secretary or the applicant, the agreed initial pediatric study plan may be amended at any time. The requirements of paragraph (2)(C) shall apply to any such proposed amendment in the same manner and to the same extent as such requirements apply to an initial pediatric study plan under paragraph (1). The requirements of paragraphs (3) and (4) shall apply to any agreement resulting from such proposed amendment in the same manner and to the same extent as such requirements apply to an agreed initial pediatric study plan.
The Secretary shall consult the internal committee under section 355d of this title on the review of the initial pediatric study plan, agreed initial pediatric study plan, and any significant amendments to such plans.
Not later than 1 year after July 9, 2012, the Secretary shall promulgate proposed regulations and issue guidance to implement the provisions of this subsection.
Beginning not later than 30 days after September 27, 2007, the Secretary shall utilize the internal committee established under section 355d of this title to provide consultation to reviewing divisions on initial pediatric study plans, agreed initial pediatric study plans, and any significant amendments to such plans, and assessments prior to approval of an application or supplement for which a pediatric assessment is required under this section and all deferral, deferral extension, and waiver requests granted pursuant to this section.
The committee referred to in paragraph (1) may operate using appropriate members of such committee and need not convene all members of the committee.
For each drug or biological product, the committee referred to in paragraph (1) shall document, for each activity described in paragraph (4) or (5), which members of the committee participated in such activity.
Consultation on initial pediatric study plans, agreed initial pediatric study plans, and assessments by the committee referred to in paragraph (1) pursuant to this section shall occur prior to approval of an application or supplement for which a pediatric assessment is required under this section. The committee shall review all requests for deferrals, deferral extensions, and waivers from the requirement to submit a pediatric assessment granted under this section and shall provide recommendations as needed to reviewing divisions, including with respect to whether such a supplement, when submitted, shall be considered for priority review.
Not later than 1 year after September 27, 2007, the committee referred to in paragraph (1) shall conduct a retrospective review and analysis of a representative sample of assessments submitted and deferrals and waivers approved under this section since December 3, 2003. Such review shall include an analysis of the quality and consistency of pediatric information in pediatric assessments and the appropriateness of waivers and deferrals granted. Based on such review, the Secretary shall issue recommendations to the review divisions for improvements and initiate guidance to industry related to the scope of pediatric studies required under this section.
The Commissioner shall consider the recommendations of the Pediatric Advisory Committee and, if appropriate, not later than 30 days after receiving the recommendation, make a request to the sponsor of the application or supplement to make any labeling changes that the Commissioner determines to be appropriate.
If the sponsor of the application or supplement, within 30 days after receiving a request under subparagraph (C), does not agree to make a labeling change requested by the Commissioner, the Commissioner may deem the drug that is the subject of the application or supplement to be misbranded.
Nothing in this subsection limits the authority of the United States to bring an enforcement action under this chapter when a drug lacks appropriate pediatric labeling. Neither course of action (the Pediatric Advisory Committee process or an enforcement action referred to in the preceding sentence) shall preclude, delay, or serve as the basis to stay the other course of action.
If, on or after September 27, 2007, the Secretary makes a determination that a pediatric assessment conducted under this section does or does not demonstrate that the drug that is the subject of such assessment is safe and effective in pediatric populations or subpopulations, including whether such assessment results are inconclusive, the Secretary shall order the labeling of such product to include information about the results of the assessment and a statement of the Secretary’s determination.
Not later than 210 days after the date of submission of an application (or supplement to an application) that contains a pediatric assessment under this section, if the application (or supplement) receives a priority review, or not later than 330 days after the date of submission of an application (or supplement to an application) that contains a pediatric assessment under this section, if the application (or supplement) receives a standard review, the Secretary shall make available to the public in an easily accessible manner the medical, statistical, and clinical pharmacology reviews of such pediatric assessments, and shall post such assessments on the Web site of the Food and Drug Administration.
Nothing in this subsection shall alter or amend section 331(j) of this title or section 552 of title 5 or section 1905 of title 18.
Beginning on September 27, 2007, during the 18-month period beginning on the date a labeling change is made pursuant to subsection (g), the Secretary shall ensure that all adverse event reports that have been received for such drug (regardless of when such report was received) are referred to the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics. In considering such reports, the Director of such Office shall provide for the review of such reports by the Pediatric Advisory Committee, including obtaining any recommendations of such committee regarding whether the Secretary should take action under this chapter in response to such reports.
Following the 18-month period described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, as appropriate, refer to the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics all pediatric adverse event reports for a drug for which a pediatric study was conducted under this section. In considering such reports, the Director of such Office may provide for the review of such reports by the Pediatric Advisory Committee, including obtaining any recommendation of such Committee regarding whether the Secretary should take action in response to such reports.
Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics from providing for the review of adverse event reports by the Pediatric Advisory Committee prior to the 18-month period referred to in paragraph (1), if such review is necessary to ensure safe use of a drug in a pediatric population.
The requirements of this subsection shall supplement, not supplant, other review of such adverse event reports by the Secretary.
Unless the Secretary requires otherwise by regulation and except as provided in paragraph (2), this section does not apply to any drug or biological product for an indication for which orphan designation has been granted under section 360bb of this title.
A biological product that is biosimilar to a reference product under section 262 of title 42, and that the Secretary has not determined to meet the standards described in subsection (k)(4) of such section for interchangeability with the reference product, shall be considered to have a new active ingredient under this section.
A biological product that is interchangeable with a reference product under section 262 of title 42 shall not be considered to have a new active ingredient under this section.
In establishing the lists described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult the National Cancer Institute, members of the internal committee under section 355d of this title, and the Pediatric Oncology Subcommittee of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee, and shall take into account comments from the meeting under subsection (c).