[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR12.50]

[Page 121-122]
 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                                SERVICES
 
PART 12_FORMAL EVIDENTIARY PUBLIC HEARING--Table of Contents
 
                 Subpart C_Appearance and Participation
 
Sec.  12.50  Advice on public participation in hearings.

    (a) Designated agency contact. All inquiries from the public about 
scheduling, location, and general procedures should be addressed to the 
Deputy Commissioner for Policy (HF-22), Food and Drug Administration, 
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, or telephone 301-443-3480. The 
staff of the Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs will attempt 
to respond promptly to all inquiries from members of the public, as well 
as to simple requests for information from participants in hearings.
    (b) Hearing schedule changes. Requests by hearing participants for 
changes in the schedule of a hearing or for filing documents, briefs, or 
other pleadings should be made in writing directly to the Administrative 
Law Judge (HF-3), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, 
Rockville, MD 20857.
    (c) Legal advice to individuals. FDA does not have the resources to 
provide legal advice to members of the public concerning participation 
in hearings. Furthermore, to do so would compromise the independence of 
the Commissioner's office and invite charges of improper interference in 
the hearing process. Accordingly, the Deputy Commissioner for Policy 
(HF-22) will not answer questions about the strengths or weaknesses of a 
party's position at a hearing, litigation strategy, or similar matters.
    (d) Role of the office of the Chief Counsel. Under no circumstances 
will the office of the Chief Counsel of FDA directly provide advice 
about a hearing to any person who is participating or may participate in 
the hearing. In every hearing, certain attorneys in the office are 
designated to represent the center or centers whose action is the 
subject of the hearing. Other members of the office, including 
ordinarily the Chief Counsel, are designated to advise the Commissioner 
on a final decision in the matter. It is not compatible with these 
functions, nor would it be professionally responsible, for the attorneys

[[Page 122]]

in the office of the Chief Counsel also to advise other participants in 
a hearing, or for any attorney who may be called on to advise the 
Commissioner to respond to inquiries from other participants in the 
hearing, for such participants may be urging views contrary to those of 
the center involved or to what may ultimately be the final conclusions 
of the Commissioner. Accordingly, members of the office of the Chief 
Counsel, other than the attorneys responsible for representing the 
center whose action is the subject of the hearing, will not answer 
questions about the hearing from any participant or potential 
participant.
    (e) Communication between participants and attorneys. Participants 
in a hearing may communicate with the attorneys responsible for 
representing the center whose action is the subject of the hearing, in 
the same way that they may communicate with counsel for any other party 
in interest about the presentation of matters at the hearing. It would 
be inappropriate to bar discussion of such matters as stipulations of 
fact, joint presentation of witnesses, or possible settlement of hearing 
issues. Members of the public, including participants at hearings, are 
advised, however, that all such communications, including those by 
telephone, will be recorded in memoranda that can be filed with the 
Division of Dockets Management.

[44 FR 22329, Apr. 13, 1979, as amended at 50 FR 8994, Mar. 6, 1985; 54 
FR 9035, Mar. 3, 1989; 58 FR 17096, Apr. 1, 1993]