Frederick Ball – Duane Morris Life Sciences Law

October 21, 2022 by Duane Morris

DOJ Announces an Enhanced Approach to Corporate Criminal Enforcement

On September 15, 2022, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco of the Department of Justice (DOJ) delivered a speech at New York University addressing new guidance on corporate criminal enforcement. Her speech made it clear that DOJ is prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against corporate entities. DOJ’s approach in this area is fundamentally grounded in individual accountability and corporate responsibility. Building off those ideas, the new guidance provides for: (1) increased focus on individual liability; (2) consideration of the full criminal, civil and regulatory record of any company when deciding the appropriate resolution; (3) expanding voluntarily self-disclosure programs across DOJ; and (4) the consideration of compensation systems that reward or deter compliance when evaluating the strength of a company’s compliance program. Monaco also announced increased transparency and consistency by DOJ when determining issues related to monitors. DOJ intends these policies to communicate to corporate entities that it is “not accepting business as usual” and that personal liability and the specifics of a corporation’s cooperation and integration of compliance programs will be heavily scrutinized in criminal corporate prosecutions.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

August 22, 2022 by Duane Morris

DOJ Filing Reawakens Fraud-On-The-FDA Theory Of Liability

On June 3, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division’s Washington, D.C., office filed a statement of interest in a relator’s action, arguing that “[c]onduct giving rise to a regulatory violation can also give rise to” False Claims Act liability.

The case is U.S. ex rel. Patricia Crocano v. Trividia Health Inc., before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Specifically, the DOJ requested “that the ruling not foreclose the possibility that, under certain circumstances,” conduct that violates the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act or U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations “could be material to the government’s payment decisions and provide a basis for FCA liability assuming all necessary FCA elements are demonstrated,”[3] colloquially known as “fraud on the FDA.”

This filing makes clear the DOJ’s decision to reawaken a theory of liability thought to be dead.

To read the full text of this article by Duane Morris attorneys Eric Breslin, Frederick R. Ball and Brittany Pagnotta, originally published in Law360, please visit the firm website.

April 21, 2022 by Duane Morris

FDA’s Guidance Creates Administrative Burden for Animal Drug Compounding Documentation

On April 13, 2022, the FDA issued Guidance for Industry #256 about the enforcement policy regarding the compounding of animal drugs from bulk drug substances by or under the direct supervision of veterinarians or pharmacists in either state-licensed pharmacies or federal facilities. FDA has spent several years and gone through multiple iterations trying to develop new industry guidance on compounding animal medications. While changes have been made from previous iterations, FDA has implemented significant administrative burdens for documentation of clinical need and limitations on drug substances that can be compounded for office use.

FDA has taken the current position that drugs compounded from bulk substances violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) because they are not approved or indexed, are not made according to current good manufacturing practice and cannot satisfy the FD&C Act’s adequate directions for use provision. However, FDA has generally refrained from taking enforcement action against animal drugs compounded from bulk drug substances under certain circumstances when no other medically appropriate treatment options exist. Especially for animal drugs, compounding plays a crucial role in providing medically appropriate treatments for a wide variety of species of all different shapes and sizes―specifically, those for whom a single dosage form or level will not be medically appropriate.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022 by Duane Morris

FDA Final Guidance on Initiating Voluntary Recalls: Be “Recall Ready”

On March 4, 2022, FDA issued a final guidance to industry and FDA staff regarding the initiation of voluntary recalls under 21 CFR part 7, subpart C. The guidance applies to voluntary recalls of products subject to FDA’s jurisdiction, including any:

1. Food, drug and device (human or animal use);
2. Cosmetic and biological product (human use);
3. Tobacco product;
4. Item subject to a quarantine regulation under 21 CFR part 1240; and
5. Devices that are electronic products regulated as radiology devices (subject to 21 CFR part 892) but not electronic products subject to 21 CFR parts 1003 and 1004.

In short, the final guidance clarifies FDA’s recommendations on how a firm should be prepared to facilitate the timely initiation of voluntary recalls, steps a firm should take if there is an indication of a problem with a distributed product and how to initiate voluntary recalls. The final guidance also explains how FDA works with firms to initiate a voluntary recall.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 by Duane Morris

FDA Clarifies Evidence Used to Determine “Intended Use” of Medical Products

On September 23, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a proposed rule amending the agency’s regulations concerning “intended uses.” While the proposed rule does not signal a fundamental change in FDA’s position that all relevant sources of evidence may be considered, it attempts to make clear what sort of evidence is not on its own sufficient to demonstrate a product’s intended use.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

April 3, 2020 by Duane Morris

COVID-19 Treatment Approvals Accelerated by New FDA CTAP Program

On March 31, 2020, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) introduced a specially designed “emergency program”—dubbed the Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP)—to provide patients with faster access to new COVID-19 treatments. The CTAP allows FDA to “move new therapies to patients as quickly as possible, while at the same time finding out whether they are helpful or harmful.”

Given the rapidly increasing rate of COVID-19 confirmed cases and fatalities in the United States, efforts to streamline FDA processes may prove crucial to uncovering and delivering viable treatments.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 by Duane Morris

A Cannabidiol Catalyst? Recent Events Increase Pressure on FDA to Regulate CBD

By Justin M.L. Stern and Frederick R. Ball

For consumers, the widespread availability of products containing cannabidiol (CBD) is old news. But for those in the cannabis industry—and in particular, those monitoring applicable regulatory developments—the state of CBD remains largely in flux and continues to be marred by uncertainty.

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) retained its regulatory authority over products derived from hemp, including CBD incorporated into products it traditionally regulates, such as food, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. Unfortunately for the industry, FDA has yet to propose or issue formal regulations concerning the manufacture, distribution, or sale of such products. At the same time, FDA has issued numerous warning letters to producers and retailers incorporating CBD into products operating in the complex gray area between state and federal law. Nevertheless, recent events occurring across all three federal branches of government may reflect an impetus for change in FDA’s approach to CBD products.

To read the full article, please visit the FDLI website.

March 16, 2020 by Duane Morris

FDA’s Report on CBD Reaffirms Status Quo

Consumers want answers from FDA on how it plans to regulate the multibillion dollar market for CBD-related products—and they’re not alone. Under the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94), Congress directed FDA to provide a report concerning the agency’s progress in receiving and evaluating data to help inform a policy of enforcement discretion and a process by which FDA will evaluate cannabidiol (meeting the definition of hemp) in FDA-regulated products.

On March 5, 2020, FDA submitted the requested report, painting a more detailed view of its CBD-related activities than the public has seen to date. From a high level, FDA noted that it remains concerned about the potential safety risks posed by mislabeled or contaminated CBD-infused products. At the same time, FDA stated that it “is actively working to evaluate potential lawful pathways for the marketing of CBD.”

View the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

March 12, 2020 by Duane Morris

FDA Postpones Foreign Inspections Through April in Response to COVID-19

FDA announced on March 10, 2020, that the agency is postponing most foreign inspections through April, effective immediately. FDA will consider whether to conduct inspections outside the U.S. deemed mission-critical on a case-by-case basis.

Postponing foreign inspection will likely delay product application reviews that require facility inspections. FDA has committed to trying to mitigate any potential impact that the COVID-19 outbreak and suspension of foreign inspections may have regarding FDA action on product applications. The extent of that impact will likely depend on how soon foreign inspections can resume and the resources, including personnel, available to FDA once they resume.

View the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

February 6, 2020 by Duane Morris

FDA Revises Policies and Procedures for Prioritization of ANDAs in New MAPP

On January 30, 2020, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new Manual of Policies & Procedures (MAPP) concerning how it will prioritize internal review of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs), amendments and supplements.

Whether a submission qualifies for priority designation can mean a substantial difference in approval time. As the FDA explains, it “may grant an ANDA submission either a shorter review goal date or an expedited review” if the submission satisfies a public health priority (or prioritization factor) described in the MAPP.

View the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.