§ 360j.
(m)
Humanitarian device exemption
(1)
To the extent consistent with the protection of the public health and safety and with ethical standards, it is the purpose of this subsection to encourage the discovery and use of devices intended to benefit patients in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases or conditions that affect not more than 8,000 individuals in the United States.
(2)
The Secretary may grant a request for an exemption from the effectiveness requirements of sections 360d and 360e of this title for a device for which the Secretary finds that—
(A)
the device is designed to treat or diagnose a disease or condition that affects not more than 8,000 individuals in the United States,
(B)
the device would not be available to a person with a disease or condition referred to in subparagraph (A) unless the Secretary grants such an exemption and there is no comparable device, other than under this exemption, available to treat or diagnose such disease or condition, and
(C)
the device will not expose patients to an unreasonable or significant risk of illness or injury and the probable benefit to health from the use of the device outweighs the risk of injury or illness from its use, taking into account the probable risks and benefits of currently available devices or alternative forms of treatment.
The request shall be in the form of an application submitted to the Secretary and such application shall include the certification required under
section 282(j)(5)(B) of title 42 (which shall not be considered an element of such application). Not later than 75 days after the date of the receipt of the application, the Secretary shall issue an order approving or denying the application.
(3)
Except as provided in paragraph (6), no person granted an exemption under paragraph (2) with respect to a device may sell the device for an amount that exceeds the costs of research and development, fabrication, and distribution of the device.
(4)
Devices granted an exemption under paragraph (2) may only be used—
(A)
in facilities in which clinical testing of devices is supervised by an institutional review committee established in accordance with the regulations of the Secretary; and
(B)
if, before the use of a device, an institutional review committee or an appropriate local committee approves the use in the treatment or diagnosis of a disease or condition referred to in paragraph (2)(A), unless a physician determines in an emergency situation that approval from an institutional review committee or an appropriate local committee can not be obtained in time to prevent serious harm or death to a patient.
In a case described in subparagraph (B) in which a physician uses a device without an approval from an institutional review committee or an appropriate local committee, the physician shall, after the use of the device, notify the chairperson of the institutional review committee or an appropriate local committee of such use. Such notification shall include the identification of the patient involved, the date on which the device was used, and the reason for the use.
(5)
The Secretary may require a person granted an exemption under paragraph (2) to demonstrate continued compliance with the requirements of this subsection if the Secretary believes such demonstration to be necessary to protect the public health, if the Secretary has reason to believe that the requirements of paragraph (6) are no longer met, or if the Secretary has reason to believe that the criteria for the exemption are no longer met. If the person granted an exemption under paragraph (2) fails to demonstrate continued compliance with the requirements of this subsection, the Secretary may suspend or withdraw the exemption from the effectiveness requirements of sections 360d and 360e of this title for a humanitarian device only after providing notice and an opportunity for an informal hearing.
(6)
(A)
Except as provided in subparagraph (D), the prohibition in paragraph (3) shall not apply with respect to a person granted an exemption under paragraph (2) if each of the following conditions apply:
(i)
The device with respect to which the exemption is granted—
(I)
is intended for the treatment or diagnosis of a disease or condition that occurs in pediatric patients or in a pediatric subpopulation, and such device is labeled for use in pediatric patients or in a pediatric subpopulation in which the disease or condition occurs; or
(II)
is intended for the treatment or diagnosis of a disease or condition that does not occur in pediatric patients or that occurs in pediatric patients in such numbers that the development of the device for such patients is impossible, highly impracticable, or unsafe.
(ii)
During any calendar year, the number of such devices distributed during that year under each exemption granted under this subsection does not exceed the annual distribution number for such device. In this paragraph, the term “annual distribution number” means the number of such devices reasonably needed to treat, diagnose, or cure a population of 8,000 individuals in the United States. The Secretary shall determine the annual distribution number when the Secretary grants such exemption.
(iii)
Such person immediately notifies the Secretary if the number of such devices distributed during any calendar year exceeds the annual distribution number referred to in clause (ii).
(iv)
The request for such exemption is submitted on or before December 24, 2022.
(B)
The Secretary may inspect the records relating to the number of devices distributed during any calendar year of a person granted an exemption under paragraph (2) for which the prohibition in paragraph (3) does not apply.
(C)
A person may petition the Secretary to modify the annual distribution number determined by the Secretary under subparagraph (A)(ii) with respect to a device if additional information arises, and the Secretary may modify such annual distribution number.
(D)
If a person notifies the Secretary, or the Secretary determines through an inspection under subparagraph (B), that the number of devices distributed during any calendar year exceeds the annual distribution number, as required under subparagraph (A)(iii), and modified under subparagraph (C), if applicable, then the prohibition in paragraph (3) shall apply with respect to such person for such device for any sales of such device after such notification.
(E)
(ii)
In this subsection, the term “pediatric subpopulation” means 1 of the following populations:
(I)
Neonates.
(II)
Infants.
(III)
Children.
(IV)
Adolescents.
(7)
The Secretary shall refer any report of an adverse event regarding a device described in paragraph (6)(A)(i)(I) for which the prohibition under paragraph (3) does not apply pursuant to paragraph (6)(A) that the Secretary receives to the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics, established under
section 393a of this title. In considering the report, the Director of the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics, in consultation with experts in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, shall provide for periodic review of the report 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 the report.
(8)
The Secretary, acting through the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics and the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, shall provide for an annual review by the Pediatric Advisory Committee of all devices described in paragraph (6)(A)(i)(I) to ensure that the exemption under paragraph (2) remains appropriate for the pediatric populations for which it is granted.
([June 25, 1938, ch. 675, § 520], as added [Pub. L. 94–295, § 2], May 28, 1976, [90 Stat. 565]; amended [Pub. L. 101–629], §§ 3(b)(2), 4(b)(2), 5(c)(2), 6(b)(2), 11, 14(a), 18(e), (f), Nov. 28, 1990, [104 Stat. 4514], 4516, 4518, 4519, 4522, 4524, 4529; [Pub. L. 102–571, title I, § 107(10)], Oct. 29, 1992, [106 Stat. 4499]; [Pub. L. 105–115, title I, § 125(b)(2)(E)], title II, §§ 201(a), 203, 216(a)(1), title IV, § 410(a), Nov. 21, 1997, [111 Stat. 2325], 2332, 2334, 2349, 2372; [Pub. L. 109–96, § 1], Nov. 9, 2005, [119 Stat. 2119]; [Pub. L. 110–85, title III, § 303(a)], title VIII, § 801(b)(3)(E), Sept. 27, 2007, [121 Stat. 860], 921; [Pub. L. 112–144, title V, § 507(c)], title VI, §§ 601, 606, 613(a), 617, July 9, 2012, [126 Stat. 1045], 1051, 1054, 1060, 1062; [Pub. L. 114–255, div. A, title III], §§ 3024(a), 3038(b), 3052(a), 3056, 3060(a), Dec. 13, 2016, [130 Stat. 1099], 1110, 1124, 1128, 1130; [Pub. L. 115–52, title V, § 502(b)], title VII, §§ 706(a), 709(a), Aug. 18, 2017, [131 Stat. 1037], 1058, 1065; [Pub. L. 117–180, div. F, title V, § 5002], Sept. 30, 2022, [136 Stat. 2167]; [Pub. L. 117–229, div. C, title III, § 303], Dec. 16, 2022, [136 Stat. 2312]; [Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(156)], Dec. 27, 2022, [136 Stat. 4323].)