(a) Record retention by the applicant. (1) Each applicant that receives a marketing granted order must maintain all records necessary to facilitate a determination of whether there are or may be grounds to withdraw or temporarily suspend the marketing granted order, including records related to both the application and postmarket reports, and ensure that such records remain readily available to the Agency upon request (including where records are maintained by a third party on an applicant's behalf). These records include, but are not limited to:

(i) All documents submitted to FDA as part of an application, periodic postmarket reports, and adverse experience reports;

(ii) All documentation demonstrating whether each:

(A) Nonclinical laboratory study was conducted in accordance with good laboratory practices that support the reliability of the results, such as the records described in part 58 of this chapter; and

(B) Clinical investigator has any financial conflicts of interest that may be a source of bias, such as the documentation described in part 54 of this chapter;

(iii) All other documents generated during the course of a study necessary to substantiate the study results, including:

(A) Communications related to the investigation between the investigator and the sponsor, the monitor, or FDA; and

(B) All source data for human subject and nonclinical investigations included in the application and postmarket reports, including records of each study subject's case history and exposure to tobacco products used in the investigation, including case report forms, progress notes, hospital records, clinical charts, X-rays, lab reports, and subject diaries; and

(iv) A list of each complaint, and a summary and analysis of all complaints, associated with the tobacco product reported to the applicant;

(2) These records must be legible, in the English language, and available for inspection and copying by officers or employees duly designated by the Secretary. Documents that have been translated from another language into English (e.g., original study documents written in a language other than English) must be accompanied by the original language version of the document, a signed statement by an authorized representative of the manufacturer certifying that the English language translation is complete and accurate, and a brief statement of the qualifications of the person that made the translation.

(3) All records must be retained as follows:

(i) Records related to and including the PMTA must be retained for a period of at least 4 years from the date that the marketing granted order is issued.

(ii) Records related to postmarket reports, including both periodic and adverse experience reports, must be retained for a period of at least 4 years from the date the report was submitted to FDA or until FDA inspects the records, whichever occurs sooner.

(b) Record retention by FDA. FDA will retain information submitted to it in accordance with Federal Agency Records schedules and will provide a copy to persons to whom such information may legally be disclosed on request under the fee schedule in FDA's public information regulations in § 20.45 of this chapter.

(a) General. FDA will determine the public availability of any part of an application and other content related to such an application, including all data and information submitted with or incorporated by reference in the application, under this section and part 20 of this chapter.

(b) Confidentiality of data and information prior to an order. Prior to issuing an order under this part:

(1) FDA will not publicly disclose the existence of an application unless:

(i) The applicant has publicly disclosed or acknowledged (as such disclosure is defined in § 20.81 of this chapter), or has authorized FDA in writing to publicly disclose or acknowledge, that the applicant has submitted an application to FDA; or

(ii) FDA refers the application to TPSAC.

(2) Except as described in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, FDA will not disclose the existence or contents of an FDA communication with an applicant regarding its application except to the extent that the applicant has publicly disclosed or acknowledged, or authorized FDA in writing to publicly disclose or acknowledge, the existence or contents of that particular FDA communication.

(3) Except as described in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, FDA will not disclose the existence or contents of information contained in an application unless the applicant has publicly disclosed or acknowledged, or authorized FDA in writing to publicly disclose or acknowledge, the existence or contents of that particular information. If the applicant has publicly disclosed or acknowledged, or authorized FDA in writing to publicly disclose or acknowledge, the existence or contents of that particular information contained in an application, FDA may disclose the existence or contents of that particular information.

(4) If FDA refers an application to TPSAC, the contents of the application will be available for public disclosure, except information that is exempt from disclosure under part 20 of this chapter.

(c) Disclosure of data and information after issuance of a marketing granted order. After FDA issues a marketing granted order, it may make the following information related to the application and order available for public disclosure upon request or at FDA's own initiative, including information from amendments to the application and FDA's reviews of the application:

(1) All data previously disclosed to the public, as such disclosure is defined in § 20.81 of this chapter;

(2) Any protocol for a test or study, unless it is shown to fall within the exemption established for trade secrets and confidential commercial information in § 20.61 of this chapter;

(3) Information and data submitted to demonstrate that the new tobacco product is appropriate for the protection of public health, unless the information is shown to fall within the exemptions established in § 20.61 of this chapter for trade secrets and confidential commercial information, or in § 20.63 of this chapter for personal privacy;

(4) Correspondence between FDA and the applicant, including any requests FDA made for additional information and responses to such requests, and all written summaries of oral discussions between FDA and the applicant, unless it is shown to fall within the exemptions in § 20.61 of this chapter for trade secrets and confidential commercial information, or in § 20.63 of this chapter for personal privacy;

(5) In accordance with § 25.51(b) of this chapter, the environmental assessment or, if applicable, the claim for categorical exclusion from the requirement to submit an environmental assessment under part 25 of this chapter; and

(6) Information and data contained in postmarket reports submitted to FDA, unless the information is shown to fall within the exemptions established in § 20.61 of this chapter for trade secrets and confidential commercial information, or in § 20.63 of this chapter for personal privacy

(d) Disclosure of data and information after the issuance of a marketing denial order. After FDA issues a marketing denial order, FDA may make certain information related to the application and the order available for public disclosure upon request or at FDA's own initiative unless the information is otherwise exempt from disclosure under part 20 of this chapter. Information FDA may disclose includes, but is not limited to the tobacco product category (e.g., cigarette), tobacco product subcategory (e.g., filtered, combusted cigarette), package size, product quantity, characterizing flavor, and the basis for the marketing denial order.

(a) Electronic format requirement. Applicants submitting any documents to the Agency under this part must provide all required information to FDA using the Agency's electronic system, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section. The application and all supporting information must be submitted in an electronic format that FDA can process, review, and archive.

(b) Waivers from electronic format requirement. An applicant may submit a written request, that is legible and in English, to the Center for Tobacco Products asking that FDA waive the requirement for electronic format and content. Waivers will be granted if use of electronic means is not reasonable for the applicant. To request a waiver, applicants can send the written request to the address included on our website (www.fda.gov/tobacco-products). The request must include the following information:

(1) The name and address of the applicant, a list of individuals authorized by the applicant to serve as the contact person and contact information. If the applicant has submitted a PMTA previously, the regulatory correspondence should also include any identifying information about the previous submission.

(2) A statement that creation and/or submission of information in electronic format is not reasonable for the applicant, and an explanation of why creation and/or submission in electronic format is not reasonable. This statement must be signed by the applicant or by a representative who is authorized to make the declaration on behalf of the applicant.

(c) Paper submission. An applicant who has obtained a waiver from filing electronically must send a written application through the Document Control Center to the address provided in the FDA documentation granting the waiver.