Importation of Prescription Drugs Comment Request
Summary
The FDA has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing an opportunity for public comment on a proposed information collection related to the importation of prescription drugs. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Agency seeks public input on existing information collection requirements. The comment period closes on June 15, 2026.
What changed
The FDA published a Federal Register notice announcing a 60-day public comment period on information collection provisions related to FDA's regulation on importation of prescription drugs under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice solicits comments on existing collection requirements but does not propose new substantive rules.
Affected parties interested in prescription drug importation should review the notice and consider submitting comments on the information collection burden estimates or related regulatory requirements. Drug manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and importers should monitor for any resulting changes to importation documentation requirements following the comment period.
What to do next
- Submit electronic comments via regulations.gov
- Submit written/paper comments to Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305)
- Submit comments by June 15, 2026
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Notice
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Importation of Prescription Drugs
A Notice by the Food and Drug Administration on 04/16/2026
This document has a comment period that ends in 60 days.
(06/15/2026) View Comment InstructionsPDF
Document Details
Document Dates
- Table of Contents
- Public Comments
- Regulations.gov Data
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- Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-07421 (91 FR 20462) Document Headings ###### Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
- [Docket No. FDA-2026-N-3240]
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection provisions related to FDA's regulation on importation of prescription drugs.
DATES:
Either electronic or written comments on the collection of information must be submitted by June 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments as follows. Please note that late, untimely filed comments will not be considered. The https://www.regulations.gov electronic filing system will accept comments until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time at the end of June 15, 2026. Comments received by mail/hand delivery/courier (for written/paper submissions) will be considered timely if they are received on or before that date. ( printed page 20463)
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic comments in the following way:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to https://www.regulations.gov will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in the body of your comments, that information will be posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
- If you want to submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner detailed (see “Written/Paper Submissions” and “Instructions”).
Written/Paper Submissions
Submit written/paper submissions as follows:
- Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier (for written/paper submissions): Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
For written/paper comments submitted to the Dockets Management Staff, FDA will post your comment, as well as any attachments, except for information submitted, marked, and identified, as confidential, if submitted as detailed in “Instructions.”
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No. FDA-2026-N-3240 for “Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Importation of Prescription Drugs.” Received comments, those filed in a timely manner (see ADDRESSES), will be placed in the docket and, except for those submitted as “Confidential Submissions,” publicly viewable at https://www.regulations.gov or at the Dockets Management Staff between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 240-402-7500.Confidential Submissions—To submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states “THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.” The Agency will review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be available for public viewing and posted on https://www.regulations.gov. Submit both copies to the Dockets Management Staff. If you do not wish your name and contact information to be made publicly available, you can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body of your comments and you must identify this information as “confidential.” Any information marked as “confidential” will not be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access the information at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into the “Search” box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Dockets Management Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852, 240-402-7500.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ila S. Mizrachi, Office of Operations, Food and Drug Administration, Three White Flint North, 10A-12M, 11601 Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD 20852, 301-796-1244, PRAStaff@fda.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), Federal Agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.
With respect to the following collection of information, FDA invites comments on these topics: (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information technology.
Importation of Prescription Drugs— 21 CFR Part 251
OMB Control Number 0910-0888—Extension
This information collection supports implementation of section 804 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 384), and applicable regulations in part 251 (21 CFR part 251). The purpose of section 804 of the FD&C Act is to reduce the cost of covered products to American consumers without imposing additional risk to public health and safety. The regulations in part 251 set forth procedures Section 804 Importation Program sponsors (SIP Sponsors) must follow when submitting plans to implement time-limited programs to begin importation of drugs from Canada. The regulations also establish criteria for FDA review and authorization of a SIP proposal or supplemental proposal. Additionally, the regulations set forth requirements for eligible prescription drugs and requirements for entities that engage in importation of eligible prescription drugs. Finally, the regulations provide for exempt eligible prescription drugs that meet certain requirements from section 502(f)(1) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 352(f)(1)).
Description of Respondents: Respondents to the collection of information are SIP Sponsors (States or Indian Tribes, or in certain future circumstances, pharmacists or wholesale distributors, and any cosponsor(s)), importers (pharmacists or wholesaler distributors), and manufacturers of eligible prescription drugs. ( printed page 20464)
We estimate the burden of the collection of information as follows:
| 21 CFR section 251; information collection activity | Number of
recordkeepers | Number of
records per
recordkeeper | Total annual
records | Average
burden per
recordkeeping | Total hours |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subpart B; SIP proposals and pre-import requests | 40 | 1.5 | 60 | 72 | 4,320 |
| Subpart C; Certain requirements for importation programs | 40 | 1 | 40 | 43 | 1,720 |
| Total | | | 100 | | 6,040 |
| 1 There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information. | | | | | |
We have established a web page at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/importation-program-under-section-804-fdc-act/section-804-importation-program-policies-and-authorizations to communicate news and information about FDA efforts to implement the SIP. We assume the burden attributable to the required retention, reporting, and disclosure of records pertaining to these information collection activities will be distributed among respondents at an average of 100 responses and 6,040 hours annually. Based on a review of the information collection since our last request for OMB approval we have made no adjustments to our burden estimate.
Grace R. Graham,
Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-07421 Filed 4-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P
Published Document: 2026-07421 (91 FR 20462)
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