Assessing User Fees Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Amendments of 2017 Guidance for Industry: Guidance for Industry

Administrative guidance, not enacted legislation. This captured publisher edition preserves the listed document and attachments; later developments are not independently consolidated.

Assessing User Fees
Under the Prescription
Drug User Fee
Amendments of 2017
Guidance for Industry
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)
November 2020
User Fees

Assessing User Fees
Under the Prescription
Drug User Fee
Amendments of 2017
Guidance for Industry
Additional copies are available from:
Office of Communications, Division of Drug Information
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Food and Drug Administration
10001 New Hampshire Ave., Hillandale Bldg., 4th Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
Phone: 855-543-3784 or 301-796-3400; Fax: 301-431-6353
Email: druginfo@fda.hhs.gov
https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/default.htm
and/or
Office of Communication, Outreach and Development
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research
Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 71, Room 3128
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
Phone: 800-835-4709 or 240-402-8010
Email: ocod@fda.hhs.gov
https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/guidance-compliance-regulatory-information-biologics/biologics-
guidances
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)
November 2020
User Fees

Contains Nonbinding Recommendations
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1
II. BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 2
III. DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................. 2
IV. CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE PDUFA USER FEE PROGRAM ...... 4
V. HUMAN DRUG APPLICATION FEES ........................................................................ 5
VI. PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM FEES ................................................................ 6
VII. WAIVERS OF PDUFA FEES ....................................................................................... 10
VIII. EFFECT OF FAILURE TO PAY FEES ...................................................................... 11
IX. PAYMENT INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES ................................................. 11
X. FEE WAIVER, REDUCTION, OR REFUND REQUESTS AND APPEALS
PROCESS.........................................................................................................................12
XI. OTHER RESOURCES....................................................................................................14

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Assessing User Fees Under the Prescription Drug
User Fee Amendments of 2017
Guidance for Industry1
This guidance represents the current thinking of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) on
this topic. It does not establish any rights for any person and is not binding on FDA or the public. You
can use an alternative approach if it satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations.
To discuss an alternative approach, contact the FDA staff responsible for this guidance as listed on the
title page.
I. INTRODUCTION
This guidance provides stakeholders information regarding FDA’s implementation of the
Prescription Drug User Fee Amendments of 2017 (PDUFA VI) under Title I of the FDA
Reauthorization Act of 2017. Because PDUFA VI created changes to the user fee program, this
guidance explains the new fee structure created by the statute, and the types of fees for which
entities are responsible.
This guidance describes the types of user fees authorized by PDUFA VI, the process for
submitting payments to FDA, the consequences for failing to pay application fees or prescription
drug program fees, and the process for requesting a reconsideration of a user fee assessment.
The guidance also describes how FDA determines which products are subject to a fee and
discusses certain changes to FDA’s policies under the new law. FDA has separate guidance
documents about PDUFA VI waivers, refunds, and reductions. This guidance does not address
how FDA determines and adjusts fees each fiscal year (FY); nor does it address FDA’s
implementation of other user fee programs (e.g., Biosimilar User Fee Amendments, Generic
Drug User Fee Amendments).2 Throughout this guidance, references to user fees or the user-fee
program are to prescription drug user fees collected under section 736 of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
In general, FDA’s guidance documents do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities.
Instead, guidances describe the Agency’s current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only
as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited. The use of
1 This guidance has been prepared by the Division of User Fee Management and Budget Formulation, Office of
Management, in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in consultation with the Center for Biologics
Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration.
2 FDA will publish in the Federal Register the fee revenue and fee amounts for each fiscal year not later than 60
days before the start of each fiscal year. Section 736(c)(5) of the FD&C Act.

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the word should in Agency guidances means that something is suggested or recommended, but
not required.
Changes to statutory provisions that are described in this guidance are effective with respect to
fees assessed beginning on the first day of FY 2018. 3
II. BACKGROUND
The Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 (PDUFA I) added sections 735 and 736 to the
FD&C Act, authorizing FDA to collect user fees for a 5-year period from persons that submit
certain human drug applications for review or that are named in approved applications as the
sponsor of certain prescription drug products. Since 1992, Congress has revised and extended
PDUFA five times, each time for a 5-year period. Fees authorized by this legislation help fund
the process for the review of human drug applications and have played an important role in
expediting the drug review and approval process. The most recent reauthorization is Title I of
the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017, enacted on August 18, 2017.
PDUFA VI extends FDA’s authority to collect user fees for FY 2018 through 2022 and revises
the fees that the Agency collects and how it collects some fees. Discussions about the next
reauthorization of PDUFA are expected to begin before FY 2022, the final fiscal year of PDUFA
VI.
III. DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this guidance:
• The term affiliate means a business entity that has a relationship with a second business
entity if, directly or indirectly, (1) one business entity controls, or has the power to
control, the other business entity; or (2) a third party controls, or has the power to control,
both of the business entities.4
• The term applicant refers to the person who submits a human drug application or is
named as the applicant in a human drug application.
• The term drug includes drug and biological products.5
• The term final dosage form means, with respect to a prescription drug product, a finished
dosage form which is approved for administration to a patient without substantial further
manufacturing (such as capsules, tablets, or lyophilized products before reconstitution).6
3 FDA’s fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.
4 Section 735(11) of the FD&C Act.
5 For the purposes of this guidance, the terms biologic and biological product have the same meaning.
6 Section 735(4) of the FD&C Act.

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• The term human drug application means an application for (1) approval of a new drug
submitted under section 505(b) of the FD&C Act or (2) licensure of a biological product
under subsection (a) of section 351 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act).7
Such term does not include a supplement to such an application, does not include an
application with respect to whole blood or a blood component for transfusion, does not
include an application with respect to a bovine blood product for topical application
licensed before September 1, 1992, an allergenic extract product, or an in vitro diagnostic
biologic product licensed under section 351 of the PHS Act, does not include an
application with respect to a large volume parenteral drug product approved before
September 1, 1992, does not include an application for a licensure of a biological product
for further manufacturing use only, and does not include an application or supplement
submitted by a State or Federal Government entity for a drug that is not distributed
commercially. Such term does include an application for licensure of a large volume
biological product intended for single dose injection for intravenous use or infusion.
• The term person includes any affiliates of that person.8 The term person includes an
individual, partnership, corporation, or association.9
• The term prescription drug product means a specific strength or potency of a drug in
final dosage form:
o for which a human drug application has been approved;
o which may be dispensed only by prescription under section 503(b) of the FD&C
Act; and
o which is on the list of products described in section 505(j)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act
(not including the discontinued section of such list) or is on a list created and
maintained by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) of products
approved under human drug applications under section 351(a) of the PHS Act (not
including the discontinued section of such list).
Such term does not include:
o whole blood or a blood component for transfusion;
o a bovine blood product for topical application licensed before September 1, 1992,
an allergenic extract product, or an in vitro diagnostic biologic product licensed
under section 351 of the PHS Act;
o a biological product that is licensed for further manufacturing use only; and
o a drug that is not distributed commercially AND is the subject of an application or
supplement submitted by a State or Federal Government entity.
7 Section 735(1) of the FD&C Act.
8 Section 735(9) of the FD&C Act.
9 Section 201(e) of the FD&C Act.

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Such term does include a large volume biological product intended for single dose
injection for intravenous use or infusion.10
• The term supplement means a request to the Secretary to approve a change in a human
drug application which has been approved.11
IV. CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE PDUFA USER FEE PROGRAM
PDUFA VI authorizes the collection of two types of fees: (1) human drug application fees, which
are collected at the time certain human drug applications are submitted; and (2) prescription drug
program fees, which are collected annually for certain prescription drug products.12 The statute
directs FDA to set fee amounts for each fiscal year so that human drug application fees will
account for 20 percent and prescription drug program fees will account for 80 percent of the total
revenue amount for that fiscal year.13
Previously, section 736 of the FD&C Act authorized FDA to collect (1) human drug application
and supplement fees, (2) prescription drug establishment fees, and (3) prescription drug product
fees. PDUFA VI eliminates fees for supplements14 as well as for establishments.15 Applicants
will be assessed annual prescription drug program fees for prescription drug products, rather than
the prescription drug product fee assessed under PDUFA V.
In addition, PDUFA VI eliminates a provision under which applicants could apply for a waiver
or refund of user fees on the basis that the fees to be paid by such person will exceed the
anticipated present and future costs incurred by the Secretary in conducting the process for the
review of human drug applications for such person, also known as the “the fees-exceed-costs
waiver.”
The Agency will continue to establish human drug application fees and prescription drug
program fees for each fiscal year based on revenue amounts set forth in the statute, and will
publish, in the Federal Register, the fees and fee revenue amounts for a fiscal year not later than
60 days before the start of that year.16
10 Section 735(3) of the FD&C Act.
11 Section 735(2) of the FD&C Act.
12 The terms prescription drug program fee and program fee have the same meaning.
13 Section 736(b)(2)(A) of the FD&C Act.
14 The Agency considers it useful to provide guidance to applicants distinguishing between an original application,
amendment, and supplement to accurately assess user fees. Information on what FDA believes should be submitted
in marketing applications, amendments, or supplements to approved applications is provided in the guidance for
industry Submitting Separate Marketing Applications and Clinical Data for Purposes of Assessing User Fees,
available at:
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM079320.pdf.
15 The establishment fee special rule that applied to establishments that manufacture positron emission tomography
(PET) drugs was also eliminated.
16 Section 736(c)(5) of the FD&C Act.

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V. HUMAN DRUG APPLICATION FEES
Under PDUFA VI, FDA assesses a user fee for certain human drug applications. Each person
that submits a human drug application beginning in FY 2018 is assessed an application fee under
PDUFA VI as follows:
• A human drug application for which clinical data (other than bioavailability or
bioequivalence studies) with respect to safety or effectiveness are required for approval is
assessed a full application fee.
• A human drug application for which clinical data (other than bioavailability or
bioequivalence studies) with respect to safety or effectiveness are not required for
approval is assessed one-half of a full fee.17
Human drug application fees are due when the application is submitted.18
A. Exceptions to the Application Fee
There are two exceptions to the PDUFA application fee, described below:
(1) Previously Filed Applications. If an application
o was submitted by a person that paid the fee for the application,
o was accepted for filing, and
o was not approved or was withdrawn (without a waiver),
the submission of a human drug application for the same product by the same person (or
the person’s licensee, assignee, or successor) does not require an application fee.19
(2) Designated Orphan Drug. A human drug application for a prescription drug product that
has been designated as a drug for a rare disease or condition pursuant to section 526 of
the FD&C Act shall not be subject to an application fee unless the human drug
application includes an indication for other than a rare disease or condition.20 More
information is provided in the guidance for industry User Fee Waivers, Reductions, and
Refunds for Drug and Biological Products (Waivers Guidance).21
B. Applications Refused for Filing or Withdrawn
If an application is refused for filing or withdrawn without a waiver before filing, FDA will
refund 75 percent of the application fee.22 If an application is withdrawn after it is filed, FDA
17 Section 736(a)(1)(A) of the FD&C Act.
18 Section 736(a)(1)(B) of the FD&C Act.
19 Section 736(a)(1)(C) of the FD&C Act.
20 Section 736(a)(1)(F) of the FD&C Act.
21 We update guidances periodically. To make sure you have the most recent version of a guidance, check the FDA
Drugs guidance web page at
https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/default.htm.
22 Section 736(a)(1)(D) of the FD&C Act.

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may refund the fee or a portion of the fee if no substantial work was performed on the
application after the application was filed. FDA has the sole discretion to refund a fee or a
portion of the fee. The FDA's determination concerning a refund on this basis (no substantial
work was performed on the application) is not reviewable.23
An application that was submitted but refused for filing or withdrawn before being accepted or
refused for filing, shall be subject to the full fee when resubmitted or filed under protest, unless
the fee is waived or reduced under one of the provisions identified in section VII of this
guidance.24
VI. PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM FEES
In general, each person named as the applicant in a human drug application and that, after
September 1, 1992, had pending with the FDA a human drug application or supplement is
required to pay the annual prescription drug program fee for each prescription drug product that
is identified in such a human drug application approved as of October 1 of such fiscal year.25, 26
An applicant may not be assessed more than five prescription drug program fees for a fiscal year
for prescription drug products identified in a single approved application.27, 28
A prescription drug product is not assessed a prescription drug program fee if:
• the product is on the list compiled under section 505(j)(7) with a potency described in
terms of per 100 milliliters (large volume parenteral);29 or
• the product is the same as another product approved under
o an application filed under sections 505(b) or 505(j) of the FD&C Act and that other
product is not in the list of discontinued products compiled under section 505(j)(7)
of the FD&C Act,
o an abbreviated application filed under section 507 of the FD&C Act (as in effect on
the day before November 21, 1997), or
o an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) prior to the implementation of the
Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984.
23 Section 736(a)(1)(G) of the FD&C Act.
24 Section 736(a)(1)(E) of the FD&C Act.
25 Section 736(a)(2)(A) of the FD&C Act.
26 For example, if an application is approved before or on October 1, 2017, then the product that is identified in the
application may be assessed a program fee for FY 2018 and subsequent fiscal years. But, if an application is
approved on or after October 2, 2017, then the product that is identified in the application may not be assessed a
program fee for FY 2018; it would be eligible for assessment of program fees for subsequent fiscal years.
27 Section 736(a)(2)(C) of the FD&C Act.
28 For example, an applicant that has 10 drug products identified in a single approved NDA for 10 different strengths
of tablet dosage form products is eligible for an assessment for a maximum of 5 program fees. As another example,
an applicant that has 6 biologic products identified in an approved BLA for 3 strengths of liquid injectable and 3
strengths of lyophilized products will be assessed a maximum of 5 program fees.
29 Section 736(a)(2)(B)(i) of the FD&C Act.

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Prescription drug program fees are due on the later of the first business day on or after October 1
of each fiscal year, or the first business day after the enactment of an appropriations Act
providing for the collection and obligation of fees for such fiscal year under this section.30
Applicants may pay fees before the date on which they are due.31
A. When and Where Prescription Drug Products Are Listed
Prescription drug products eligible for a prescription drug program fee are on the list of products
described in section 505(j)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act (not including the discontinued section of
such list) or on a list created and maintained by the Secretary of products approved under human
drug applications under section 351(a) of the PHS Act (not including the discontinued section of
such list).32
1. In general
The list of products described in section 505(j)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act is the FDA’s Approved
Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations33 (commonly known as the “Orange
Book”), which includes products that are the subject of approved human drug applications
submitted under section 505(b) and approved under section 505(c) of the FD&C Act. FDA
publishes updates to the list each month.34 Drugs are considered to be added to the Orange Book
on the day they are approved rather than on the date FDA publishes its next Orange Book
update.35 For example, if a drug product submitted for approval under section 505(b) of the
FD&C Act is approved on September 15, it is considered to be added to the Orange Book on
September 15. Unless the drug product is moved from the “Prescription Drug Product List” in
the Orange Book (the “active list”) to the “Discontinued Drug Product List,” it may be assessed a
program fee for the next fiscal year even if FDA does not publish an update to the Orange Book
before the day fees are due.
FDA also maintains a list of products approved under human drug applications under section
351(a) of the PHS Act and also considers such drugs to be added to the list on the date they are
approved. FDA periodically provides the public with information about its list by publication to
the Agency website in two locations. Biologics regulated by the Center for Drug Evaluation and
Research (CDER) are listed on the CDER Billable Biologic Product List, and biologics regulated
by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) may be found on the list of User
Fee Billable Biologic Products and Potencies Approved Under Section 351 of the PHS Act
(collectively, the Biologics Lists).36
30 Section 736(a)(2)(A) of the FD&C Act.
31 Section 736(g)(2)(C) of the FD&C Act authorizes FDA to accept payment of PDUFA fees for a fiscal year prior
to the due date for such fees, in accordance with authority provided in advance in a prior year appropriations Act.
32 Section 735(3)(C) of the FD&C Act.
33 The Orange Book is available at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/default.cfm.
34 Section 505(j)(7)(A)(ii) of the FD&C Act.
35 Section 505(j)(7)(B) of the FD&C Act.
36 The CDER list is available at
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForIndustry/UserFees/PrescriptionDrugUserFee/UCM164641.pdf. The CBER list

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Applicants may raise questions about product listings with the FDA as follows:
• For NDA products, an applicant should contact the Orange Book staff at
OrangeBook@fda.hhs.gov.
• For CDER biological products, an applicant should contact CDER User Fee staff at
CDERCollections@fda.hhs.gov.
• For CBER biological products, an applicant should contact CBER User Fee staff at
CBERPDUFAstaff@fda.hhs.gov.
Sponsors should send CDER User Fee staff (CDERCollections@fda.hhs.gov) a courtesy copy of
information sent to the Orange Book staff or CBER User Fee staff to help ensure accurate
billing.
2. Moving a Drug Product to the Discontinued Section of the Orange Book or
Biologics List
A drug product is not assessed a prescription drug program fee for a fiscal year if it is in the
discontinued section of the Orange Book or the discontinued section of the Biologics List on the
date fees are assessed.37 Applicants that have decided to stop marketing a prescription drug
product, or that have decided to delay launch of a product until after its approval date, should
request to have the product moved to the discontinued section at their earliest opportunity to give
FDA sufficient time to process the request before fees are assessed. In most cases, we expect
that an applicant intending to discontinue or delay marketing a drug product will notify FDA
well in advance.38 If a drug product remains on the “Prescription Drug Product List” of the
Orange Book or the Biologics List on the date fees are assessed, the applicant may be assessed a
program fee for the drug even if it is not being marketed.
Requests to move a product to the discontinued section should be submitted either (1) to the
Orange Book staff, for products approved under section 505 of the FD&C Act, or (2) to the
relevant User Fee staff (CDER or CBER) for products approved under section 351(a) of the PHS
Act, at the relevant email address listed in section VI.A.1 of this guidance. All requests should
clearly identify the product to be moved, the date that its not-marketed status begins, and, if
applicable, would end. Upon receiving such a request, FDA may ask the applicant for further
information to confirm the product’s not-marketed status. If the applicant submits a request as
is available at
https://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofMedicalProductsandTobacco/CBER/ucm122936.htm.
37 Sections 735(3) and 736(a)(2)(A) of the FD&C Act.
38 Under new section 506I of the FD&C Act, added by section 804 of the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017
(FDARA), the holder of an application approved under section 505 of the FD&C Act is required to notify FDA in
writing 180 days prior to withdrawing the approved drug from sale or, if that is not practicable, as soon as
practicable but not later than the date of withdrawal, and is also required to notify FDA in writing within 180
calendar days of the date of approval of the drug if the drug will not be available for sale within 180 calendar days of
such date of approval.

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set forth in this paragraph and FDA does not deny the request, then for purposes of assessing
user fees, FDA intends to consider the product to have been moved to the discontinued section
on the date that the request was received or on the date the product is no longer marketed,
whichever is later.
Please note that applicants seeking to move a prescription drug product to a discontinued list
should clearly indicate the date on which their product is no longer marketed. Applicants should
not rely on communications with a review division, the product listing staff, or FDA components
other than the Orange Book Staff or the CDER or CBER User Fee staff, as appropriate.
Communication with the wrong division of FDA, or in a manner that does not make clear when a
product is no longer marketed, may mean that a prescription drug product is not moved to the
discontinued section of the Orange Book or the Biologics List before the date program fees are
assessed and may result in the applicant being required to pay a fee for the product.
B. Liquid Parenteral Biological Products Approved under Section 351 of the
PHS Act
1. Assessing the Strength or Potency of a Drug in Final Dosage Form
As described above, applicants of approved applications are assessed an annual program fee for
each eligible prescription drug product, up to a maximum of five program fees for a fiscal year
for each approved application.
When evaluating the specific strength or potency of a drug in final dosage form for purposes of
assessing program fees for liquid parenteral biological products, FDA intends to take into
consideration both the total amount of drug substance in mass or units of activity in a product
and the concentration of drug substance (mass or units of activity per unit volume of product).
Products considered to have a different strength or potency in a final dosage form will be given
separate entries in the Biologics List and subject to separate program fees. FDA previously
considered only the concentration of drug substance in liquid parenteral drug products approved
under section 351 of the PHS Act, without taking into account the total amount of drug substance
in the product, in determining the specific strength or potency of a drug in final dosage form for
purposes of assessing product fees. The approach described in this guidance is intended to align
our treatment of products approved under section 351 of the PHS Act with the way the Agency
generally assesses fees for products approved under section 505 of the FD&C Act, providing
consistency in our implementation of the program fee. FDA also notes that products subject to
the prescription drug program fee will be capped by the limit of five prescription drug program
fees for a fiscal year for each approved application.
2. Auto-Injectors, Prefilled Syringes, and Vials
An auto-injector that has the same strength or potency as a prefilled syringe or vial will generally
be assessed a separate prescription drug program fee. This is intended to align the Agency’s

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assessment of fees for products approved under section 351 of the PHS Act with its assessment
of fees for products approved under section 505 of the FD&C Act.39
C. Orphan Drug Exemption
A drug designated under section 526 of the FD&C Act for a rare disease or condition and
approved under section 505 of the FD&C Act or under section 351 of the PHS Act shall be
exempt from prescription drug program fees if the drug meets all of the following conditions:
• the drug meets the public health requirements that are applied to requests for waivers
for prescription drug program fees, and
• the drug is owned or licensed and is marketed by a company, including its affiliates,
that had less than $50 million in gross worldwide revenue during the previous year.40
This exemption applies with respect to a drug only if the applicant involved submits a
certification that its gross worldwide revenues did not exceed $50 million for the preceding 12
months before the exemption was requested.41, 42
VII. WAIVERS OF PDUFA FEES
Section 736(d) of the FD&C Act provides that FDA will grant a waiver of or reduction in one or
more user fees assessed under section 736(a) of the FD&C Act where it finds that one or more of
the following is true:
• A waiver or reduction is necessary to protect the public health.
• The assessment of the fee would present a significant barrier to innovation because of
limited resources available to the person or other circumstances.43
• The applicant is a small business submitting its first human drug application to the
Secretary for review.
39 The distinction described in this guidance between (1) auto-injectors and (2) prefilled syringes or vials is for the
purposes of assessing the prescription drug program fee only and not for any other purpose.
40 Section 736(k)(1) of the FD&C Act.
41 Section 736(k)(2) of the FD&C Act.
42 More information is provided in the Waivers Guidance.
43 Two special circumstances that may affect eligibility for waivers or reductions under the barrier to innovation
waiver provision are addressed in separate waiver guidances. Companies participating in the President’s Emergency
Plan for AIDS Relief should consult the guidance for industry User Fee Waivers for FDC and Co-Packaged HIV
Drugs for PEPFAR. Companies submitting combination products under 21 CFR 3.2(e) should see the guidance for
industry Application User Fees for Combination Products. We update guidances periodically. To make sure you
have the most recent version of a guidance, check the FDA Drugs guidance web page at
https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/default.htm.

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For more information on these waiver and reduction provisions, sponsors may refer to the
Waivers Guidance.
VIII. EFFECT OF FAILURE TO PAY FEES
A human drug application or supplement submitted by a person subject to fees under section
736(a) of the FD&C Act is considered incomplete and will not be accepted for consideration for
filing until all such fees owed by the person have been paid.44 For example, if a person submits
an application without an application fee or if the person is in arrears for nonpayment of any
prescription drug program fees, the application will be incomplete and FDA will not accept it for
filing. Note that the term person as used here includes an affiliate of the person, which means
that an affiliate’s failure to pay all of the user fees that it owes will affect the applicant’s ability
to file an application.
IX. PAYMENT INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES
This section briefly describes the general process for assessing and issuing annual invoices for
prescription drug program fees under PDUFA VI. More detailed instructions will be provided in
FDA’s direct notice to affected applicants.
A. Prescription Drug Program Fee Notifications
FDA will issue a notice to applicants regarding their prescription drug products in preparation for
assessing prescription drug program fees. These notices will be sent before the due date for
prescription drug program fees. Applicants will have the opportunity to review the notice and
notify FDA of any changes in contact information, changes in prescription drug product
marketing status, or any other information the Agency needs to issue an accurate annual invoice.
B. Prescription Drug Program Fee Assessments and Payments
FDA expects to issue invoices for prescription drug program fees around the end of September
based on information available to the Agency at the time the invoices are prepared. Payments
are due either on the first business day on or after October 1 of each fiscal year or the first
business day after the enactment of an appropriations Act providing for the collection and
obligation of fees for that fiscal year, whichever occurs later.45
FDA will issue additional invoices later, as needed, to capture program fees owed that were not
previously invoiced. For example, fee-eligible prescription drugs that are approved between the
date annual notices are prepared and October 1 may be the subject of a billing during the fiscal
year. Invoices may also be issued after September for other reasons.
44 Section 736(e) of the FD&C Act.
45 Section 736(a)(2)(A) of the FD&C Act.

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X. FEE WAIVER, REDUCTION, OR REFUND REQUESTS AND APPEALS
PROCESS
A. Waiver, Reduction, or Refund Request
An applicant may request a waiver or reduction of user fees, and may request a refund of fees it
has paid, if it meets the statutory criteria.46 Policies for such requests, and the permissible
grounds for a waiver, reduction, or refund, are discussed in more detail in the Waivers Guidance.
Note that any request for a waiver, reduction, or refund must be submitted no later than 180 days
after such fee is due.47
B. Reconsideration Request
If FDA fully or partially denies a request for a waiver, refund, or reduction of user fees, the
applicant may request reconsideration of that decision. A request for reconsideration should be
made within 30 calendar days of the issuance of FDA’s decision to fully or partially deny a
request for a waiver, reduction, or refund of user fees.
FDA recommends that requests for reconsideration state the applicant’s reasons for believing
that FDA’s decision is in error and include any additional information, including updated
financial information that is relevant to the applicant’s position. The Agency will issue a
response upon reconsideration, setting forth the basis for the decision.
All requests for reconsideration (regardless of whether the product is regulated by CDER or
CBER) should be submitted via email to CDERCollections@fda.hhs.gov and should be
addressed to the following:
Division of User Fee Management and Budget Formulation
Attention: Division Director
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Alternatively, an applicant can mail the request to FDA via the carrier of its choice. For the most
updated mailing address, visit the following FDA website:
http://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/UserFees/PrescriptionDrugUserFee/default.htm.
C. Appeal Request
If a request is denied upon reconsideration, the applicant may choose to appeal the denial. A
request for an appeal should be made within 30 calendar days of the issuance of FDA’s decision
to affirm its denial of a request for a waiver, refund, or reduction of user fees. The following
information should be included in the appeal:
46 The FD&C Act does not provide for deferral of user fees, and FDA does not grant deferrals of user fees, based on
pending requests for a refund. FDA therefore expects that all fees assessed will be paid when due without regard to
a pending request for a refund.
47 Section 736(i) of the FD&C Act.

Contains Nonbinding Recommendations
13
• The original request;
• The denial of the original request;
• The reconsideration request;
• The denial of the reconsideration request; and
• A statement of the applicant’s reasons for believing that the prior conclusions were in
error.
No new information or new analyses should be presented in the appeal request. If new
information or analyses are presented in the appeal request, the appeal will not be accepted and
the matter will be referred back to the original deciding authority to consider the new
information or analyses.
All requests for appeals for either CDER or CBER products should be submitted to the Director
of CDER’s Office of Management via CDERCollections@fda.hhs.gov, and a copy should be
submitted to the CDER Formal Dispute Resolution Project Manager. The contact information
can be found on the CDER Formal Dispute Resolution web page.48 Alternatively, an applicant
can mail the request to FDA via the carrier of its choice. For the most updated mailing address,
visit the following FDA website:
http://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/UserFees/PrescriptionDrugUserFee/default.htm.
After FDA reviews the information submitted in the appeal request, for CDER regulated
products, the Director of CDER’s Office of Management will issue a written decision on the
applicant’s request; for CBER regulated products, the Director of CBER will issue a written
decision on the applicant’s request.
CDER Products
If the applicant’s appeal is denied at one management level, the applicant can appeal the same
matter to the next higher management level in the CDER chain of command. A new request
should be submitted for each appeal to the next management level and should follow the process
provided in this guidance. If the applicant has exhausted the CDER management levels and
remains unsatisfied with the decision, the applicant may request review of the matter by the
Commissioner of Food and Drugs (Commissioner) under 21 CFR 10.75(c). Requests for review
by the Commissioner should be submitted to the FDA’s Ombudsman, with a copy provided to
CDER. Review of such matters by the Commissioner is discretionary.49
48 Available at
https://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofMedicalProductsandTobacco/CDER/ContactCDER/ucm44
4092.htm.
49 See 40 FR 40682, 40693 (September 3, 1975).

Contains Nonbinding Recommendations
14
CBER Products
If the applicant’s appeal is denied by the Director of CBER, the applicant may request review of
the matter by the Commissioner under 21 CFR 10.75(c). Requests for review by the
Commissioner should be submitted to the FDA’s Ombudsman, with a copy provided to CBER.
Review of such matters by the Commissioner is discretionary.
XI. OTHER RESOURCES
The following guidance documents may be helpful:
• Submitting Separate Marketing Applications and Clinical Data for Purposes of Assessing
User Fees50
• User Fee Waivers, Reductions, and Refunds for Drug and Biological Products51
• User Fee Waivers for FDC and Co-Packaged HIV Drugs for PEPFAR52
The following manuals of policies and procedures (MAPPs) may be helpful:
• MAPP 6020.4 Classifying Resubmissions of Original NDAs, BLAs, and Efficacy
Supplements in Response to Complete Response Letters53
• MAPP 6050.1 Refusal to Accept Applications for Filing From Applicants in Arrears54
Additional information is also available on the FDA User Fees web page. For any questions,
please email the Prescription Drug User Fee staff at CDERCollections@fda.hhs.gov or call 301-
796-7900.
50 Available at
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM079320.pdf.
51 Available at
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/ucm079298.pdf.
52 Available at
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM079324.pdf.
53 Available at
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofMedicalProductsandTobacco/CDER/Manualof
PoliciesProcedures/UCM082002.pdf.
54 Available at
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofMedicalProductsandTobacco/CDER/Manualof
PoliciesProcedures/UCM082029.pdf.