CHAPTER IX-MISCELLANEOUS

SEPARABILITY CLAUSE

SEC. 901. [21 U.S.C. 391] If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, or the applicability thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the constitutionality of the remainder of the Act and the applicability thereof to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

EFFECTIVE DATE AND REPEALS

SEC. 902. [21 U.S.C. 392] (a) This Act shall take effect twelve months after the date of its enactment. The Federal Food and Drug Act of June 30, 1906, as amended (U.S.C., 1934 ed., title 21, secs. 1-15), shall remain in force until such effective date, and except as otherwise provided in this subsection, is hereby repealed effective upon such date: Provided, That the provisions of section 701 shall become effective on the enactment of this Act, and thereafter the Secretary [of Agriculture] is authorized hereby to (1) conduct hearings and to promulgate regulations which shall become effective on or after the effective date of this Act as the Secretary [of Agriculture] shall direct, and (2) designate prior to the effective date of this Act food having common or usual names and exempt such food from the requirements of clause (2) of section 403(i) for a reasonable time to permit the formulation, promulgation, and effective application of definitions and standards of identity therefor as provided by section 401: Provided further, That sections 502(j), 505, and 601(a), and all other provisions of this Act to the extent that they may relate to the enforcement of such sections, shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, except that in the case of a cosmetic to which the proviso of section 601(a) relates, such cosmetic shall not, prior to the ninetieth day after such date of enactment, be deemed adulterated by reason of the failure of its label to bear the legend prescribed in such proviso: Provided further, That the Act of March 4, 1923 (U.S.C., 1945 ed., title 21, sec. 321a; 32 Stat. 1500, ch. 268), defining butter and providing a standard therefor; the Act of July 24, 1919 (U.S.C., 1946 ed., title 21, sec. 321b; 41 Stat. 271, ch. 26), defining wrapped meats as in package form; and the amendment to the Food and Drug Act, section 10A, approved August 27, 1935 (U.S.C., 1946 ed., title 21, sec. 372a [49 Stat. 871, ch. 739]), shall remain in force and effect and be applicable to the provisions of this Act.

(b) Meats and meat food products shall be exempt from the provisions of this Act to the extent of the application or the extension thereto of the Meat Inspection Act, approved March 4, 1907, as amended (U.S.C., 1946 ed., title 21, secs. 71-96; 34 Stat. 1260 et seq.).

(c) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed as in any way affecting, modifying, repealing, or superseding the provisions of section 351 of Public Health Service Act (relating to viruses, serums, toxins, and analogous products applicable to man); the virus, serum, toxin, and analogous products provisions, applicable to domestic animals, of the Act of Congress approved March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 832-833); the Filled Cheese Act of June 6, 1896 (U.S.C., 1946 ed., title 26, ch. 17, secs. 2350-2362); the Filled Milk Act of March 4, 1923 (U.S.C. 1946 ed., title 21, ch. 3, secs. 61-64); or the Import Milk Act of February 15, 1927 (U.S.C., 1946 ed., title 21, ch. 4, secs. 141-149).

SEC. 903. [21 U.S.C. 393] FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION.

(a) IN GENERAL.-There is established in the Department of Health and Human Services the Food and Drug Administration (hereinafter in this section referred to as the "Administration"). (b) MISSION.-The Administration shall

(1) promote the public health by promptly and efficiently reviewing clinical research and taking appropriate action on the marketing of regulated products in a timely manner;

(2) with respect to such products, protect the public health by ensuring that

(A) foods are safe, wholesome, sanitary, and properly labeled;

(B) human and veterinary drugs are safe and effective; (C) there is reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of devices intended for human use;

(D) cosmetics are safe and properly labeled; and

(E) public health and safety are protected from electronic product radiation;

(3) participate through appropriate processes with representatives of other countries to reduce the burden of regulation, harmonize regulatory requirements, and achieve appropriate reciprocal arrangements; and

(4) as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary, carry out paragraphs (1) through (3) in consultation with experts in science, medicine, and public health, and in cooperation with consumers, users, manufacturers, importers, packers, distributors, and retailers of regulated products.

(c) INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION.-The Secretary shall implement programs and policies that will foster collaboration between the Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and other science-based Federal agencies, to enhance the scientific and technical expertise available to the Secretary in the conduct of the duties of the Secretary with respect to the development, clinical investigation, evaluation, and postmarket monitoring of emerging medical therapies, including complementary therapies, and advances in nutrition and food science.

(d) COMMISSIONER.

(1) APPOINTMENT.-There shall be in the Administration a Commissioner of Food and Drugs (hereinafter in this section referred to as the "Commissioner") who shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(2) GENERAL POWERS.-The Secretary, through the Commissioner, shall be responsible for executing this Act and for(A) providing overall direction to the Food and Drug Administration and establishing and implementing general policies respecting the management and operation of programs and activities of the Food and Drug Administration; (B) coordinating and overseeing the operation of all administrative entities within the Administration;

(C) research relating to foods, drugs, cosmetics, and devices in carrying out this Act;

(D) conducting educational and public information programs relating to the responsibilities of the Food and Drug Administration; and

(E) performing such other functions as the Secretary

may prescribe.

(e) TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC REVIEW GROUPS.-The Secretary through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs may, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, establish such technical and scientific review groups as are needed to carry out the functions of the Administration, including functions under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and appoint and pay the members of such groups, except that officers and employees of the United States shall not receive additional compensation for service as members of such groups.

(f) AGENCY PLAN FOR STATUTORY COMPLIANCE.—

(1) IN GENERAL.-Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997, the Secretary, after consultation with appropriate scientific and academic experts, health care professionals, representatives of patient and consumer advocacy groups, and the regulated industry, shall develop and publish in the Federal Register a plan bringing the Secretary into compliance with each of the obligations of the Secretary under this Act. The Secretary shall review the plan biannually and shall revise the plan as necessary, in consultation with such persons.

(2) OBJECTIVES OF AGENCY PLAN.-The plan required by paragraph (1) shall establish objectives and mechanisms to achieve such objectives, including objectives related to—

(A) maximizing the availability and clarity of information about the process for review of applications and submissions (including petitions, notifications, and any other similar forms of request) made under this Act;

(B) maximizing the availability and clarity of information for consumers and patients concerning new products; (C) implementing inspection and postmarket monitoring provisions of this Act;

(D) ensuring access to the scientific and technical expertise needed by the Secretary to meet obligations described in paragraph (1);

(E) establishing mechanisms, by July 1, 1999, for meeting the time periods specified in this Act for the re

view of all applications and submissions described in subparagraph (A) and submitted after the date of enactment of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997; and

(F) eliminating backlogs in the review of applications and submissions described in subparagraph (A), by January 1, 2000.

(g) ANNUAL REPORT.-The Secretary shall annually prepare and publish in the Federal Register and solicit public comment on a report that

(1) provides detailed statistical information on the performance of the Secretary under the plan described in subsection (f);

(2) compares such performance of the Secretary with the objectives of the plan and with the statutory obligations of the Secretary; and

(3) identifies any regulatory policy that has a significant negative impact on compliance with any objective of the plan or any statutory obligation and sets forth any proposed revision to any such regulatory policy.

SEC. 904. [21 U.S.C. 394] SCIENTIFIC REVIEW GROUPS.

Without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs may

(1) establish such technical and scientific review groups as are needed to carry out the functions of the Food and Drug Administration (including functions prescribed under this Act);

and

(2) appoint and pay the members of such groups, except that officers and employees of the United States shall not receive additional compensation for service as members of such groups.

SEC. 905. [21 U.S.C. 395] LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL.-

(1) AUTHORITY FOR PROGRAM.-Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall carry out a program of entering into contracts with appropriately qualified health professionals under which such health professionals agree to conduct research, as employees of the Food and Drug Administration, in consideration of the Federal Government agreeing to repay, for each year of such service, not more than $20,000 of the principal and interest of the educational loans of such health professionals.

(2) LIMITATION.-The Secretary may not enter into an agreement with a health professional pursuant to paragraph (1) unless such professional

(A) has a substantial amount of educational loans relative to income; and

(B) agrees to serve as an employee of the Food and Drug Administration for purposes of paragraph (1) for a period of not less than 3 years.