February 13, 2003

This week FDA posted videostreams (in English, French, and Spanish) of its January 29, 2003, satellite downlink meeting on two new proposed regulations, Registration of Food Facilities and Prior Notice of Imported Food Shipments. These regulations were proposed in response to the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the Bioterrorism Act). The downlink panel discussion by senior FDA officials provides an overview of and answers questions about the two new proposed regulations.

The videostreams can be accessed through FDA's Bioterrorism Act web page at http://www.fda.gov/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html or directly at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/vltbtact.html. A transcript of the downlink can also be found through the dockets link on FDA's web page, or directly at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsbttran.html.

FDA is accepting public comments on these proposed regulations through April 4, 2003, which is 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. The proposed regulations can also be found at on FDA's Bioterrorism Act web page, or directly at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsbtact.html.