FDA Partially Reopens Comment Period for Interim Final Rule on African Rodent Import Ban, Restrictions on Transport, Sale of Prairie Dogs, Etc.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice partially reopening the comment period until March 23, 2007 on its and the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC's) interim final rule on the capture, transport, sale, barter, exchange, distribution, and release of African rodents, prairie dogs, and certain other animals, which was published in the November 4, 2003 Federal Register.
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The FDA states that it is partially reopening the comment period for the sole purpose of inviting public comments on certain information being added to the administrative record.
According to the FDA, since the publication of the interim final rule, additional scientific information has appeared regarding the 2003 monkeypox outbreak. The FDA states that the scientific information adds to its knowledge about the 2003 monkeypox outbreak in the U.S., including information about the virus and how the disease affected or affects humans and animals. As a result, the FDA is adding 17 documents to the interim final rule's administrative record.
Interim Rule Issued to Prevent Spread of Monkeypox in U.S.
The CDC and FDA issued the interim final rule, effective November 4, 2003, to establish new restrictions and modify existing restrictions on the import, capture, transport, sale, barter, exchange, distribution, and release of African rodents, prairie dogs, and certain other animals in order to prevent the spread of monkeypox, a communicable disease, in the U.S.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 11/10/03 news, 03111015, for BP summary of interim final rule. See ITT's Online Archives or 11/18/03 news, 03111815, for BP update on the exemptions from the interim final rule's import ban, restrictions.)
- written or electronic comments are due by March 23, 2007
FDA contact - Philip Chao (301) 827-0587
FDA notice (D/N 2003N-0400, FR Pub 02/21/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-2857.pdf