Emergency Use of an Investigational Drug or Biologic
FDA’s IRB regulations at 21 CFR 56.102(d) define an emergency use as follows:
(d) Emergency use means the use of a test article on a human subject in a life-threatening situation in which no standard acceptable treatment is available, and in which there is not sufficient time to obtain IRB approval.
The IRB regulations at 21 CFR 56.104 describe categories of clinical investigations that are exempt from the requirements of IRB review in part 56, which includes 56.104(c), which state:
The following categories of clinical investigations are exempt from the requirements of this part for IRB review:
(c) Emergency use of a test article, provided that such emergency use is reported to the IRB within 5 working days. Any subsequent use of the test article at the institution is subject to IRB review.
FDA’s regulations at 21 CFR 50.23 outline exceptions from the general requirements of informed consent. These regulations state:
(a) The obtaining of informed consent shall be deemed feasible unless, before use of the test article (except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section), both the investigator and a physician who is not otherwise participating in the clinical investigation certify in writing all of the following:
(1) The human subject is confronted by a life-threatening situation necessitating the use of the test article.
(2) Informed consent cannot be obtained from the subject because of an inability to communicate with, or obtain legally effective consent from, the subject.
(3) Time is not sufficient to obtain consent from the subject’s legal representative.
(4) There is available no alternative method of approved or generally recognized therapy that provides an equal or greater likelihood of saving the life of the subject.
(b) If immediate use of the test article is, in the investigator’s opinion, required to preserve the life of the subject, and time is not sufficient to obtain the independent determination required in paragraph (a) of this section in advance of using the test article, the determinations of the clinical investigator shall be made and, within 5 working days after the use of the article, be reviewed and evaluated in writing by a physician who is not participating in the clinical investigation.
(c) The documentation required in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section shall be submitted to the IRB within 5 working days after the use of the test article.
Additional guidance on the Emergency Use of an Investigational Drug or Biologic can be found on the FDA’s website here.
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