The Regulations Process, Advisory Panels, and the Federal Register
New regulations, or those being modified, are “promulgated” through a process that
begins with a “notice of proposed rulemaking,” published in the Federal Register (FR). These FR notices usually ask for comments that are used by the FDA to modify proposed regulations. The modified regulation is usually published in the FR as a “final rule.” Note: Final rules contain “preambles,” which list the public comments received and the FDA’s response to them. They often contain valuable insights into the way the FDA develops its regulations. Advisory panels, whose names conform to the classification panels (e.g., the Cardiovascular panel), are composed of experts in their respective fields of specialization. Panels also include consumer representatives. They participate in the PMA review process and are called upon to advise the FDA when new device types are classified.