21 C.F.R. Subpart A—Official Testimony and Information
Title 21 - Food and Drugs
(a) No officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration or of any other office or establishment in the Department of Health and Human Services, except as authorized by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs pursuant to this section or in the discharge of his official duties under the laws administered by the Food and Drug Administration, shall give any testimony before any tribunal pertaining to any function of the Food and Drug Administration or with respect to any information acquired in the discharge of his official duties. (b) Whenever a subpoena, in appropriate form, has been lawfully served upon an officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration commanding the giving of any testimony, such officer or employee shall, unless otherwise authorized by the Commissioner, appear in response thereto and respectfully decline to testify on the grounds that it is prohibited by this section. (c) A person who desires testimony from any employee may make written request therefor, verified by oath, directed to the Commissioner setting forth his interest in the matter sought to be disclosed and designating the use to which such testimony will be put in the event of compliance with such request: Provided, That a written request therefor made by a health, food, or drug officer, prosecuting attorney, or member of the judiciary of any State, Territory, or political subdivision thereof, acting in his official capacity, need not be verified by oath. If it is determined by the Commissioner, or any other officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration whom he may designate to act on his behalf for the purpose, that such testimony will be in the public interest and will promote the objectives of the act and the agency, the request may be granted. Where a request for testimony is granted, one or more employees of the Food and Drug Administration may be designated to appear, in response to a subpoena, and testify with respect thereto. (a) Any request for records of the Food and Drug Administration, whether it be by letter or by a subpena duces tecum or by any other writing, shall be handled pursuant to the procedures established in subpart B of this part, and shall comply with the rules governing public disclosure established in subparts C, D, E, and F of this part and in other regulations cross-referenced in §20.100(c). (b) Whenever a subpoena duces tecum, in appropriate form, has been lawfully served upon an officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration commanding the production of any record, such officer or employee shall appear in response thereto, respectfully decline to produce the record on the ground that it is prohibited by this section, and state that the production of the record(s) involved will be handled by the procedures established in this part. (a) Upon request, the Food and Drug Administration will certify the authenticity of copies of records that are requested to be disclosed pursuant to this part or will authenticate copies of records previously disclosed. (b) A request for certified copies of records or for authentication of records shall be sent in writing to the Freedom of Information Staff (HFI–35), Food and Drug Administration, Room 12A–16, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. [42 FR 15616, Mar. 22, 1977, as amended at 46 FR 8456, Jan. 27, 1981]
Title 21: Food and Drugs
PART 20—PUBLIC INFORMATION
Subpart A—Official Testimony and Information
§ 20.1 Testimony by Food and Drug Administration employees.
§ 20.2 Production of records by Food and Drug Administration employees.
§ 20.3 Certification and authentication of Food and Drug Administration records.
