In This Week’s Edition:
- New USDA Grocery Benefit
- FTC Seeking Comments on Proposed COPPA Rule/Kids Online Privacy
- 2024 Australia and Israel FTA Levels Announced
- FTC to Hold Informal Hearing on Proposed Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials
- FTC Order Prohibits Data Broker X-Mode Social and Outlogic from Selling Sensitive Location Data
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection; General Notice on Interest Rates
- Environmental Defense Fund Petitions FDA to Prohibit Certain Solvents in Food
- APHIS Proposing to Allow Importation of Fresh Turmeric for Consumption From Mexico Into the U.S..
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Equivalence Process Update
- FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
- FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
- FDA Import Alerts
- FDA Warning Letters`
New USDA Grocery Benefit
USDA announced that 35 states, all five U.S. territories, and four Tribes plan to be the first to launch the new, permanent summer grocery benefits program for children – known as Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer – in summer 2024.
USDA estimates that, in total, the states, U.S. territories, and Tribes that have committed to launching the Summer EBT program in summer 2024 will serve close to 21 million children, providing a total of nearly $2.5 billion in grocery benefits. This is around 70% of the total population of children eligible for Summer EBT. USDA expects additional states and Tribes will provide Summer EBT in 2025.
FTC Seeking Comments on Proposed COPPA Rule/Kids’ Online Privacy
The FTC announced proposed revisions to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule on December 20, 2023. The online portal to file public comments is now open and the FTC welcomes your feedback by the March 11, 2024, deadline.
2024 Australia and Israel FTA Levels Announced
Goods qualifying under Chapter 98, Subchapter XXVI, U.S. Note 8 (Australia FTA) must be entered using subheading 98220401. These goods are subject to a price-based safeguard which will be evaluated once a total of 70,843,000 kg of qualifying goods enter in 2024. Certain TRQs that are eligible products of Israel entered under the Israel FTA shall not exceed the quantities specified here.
FTC to Hold Informal Hearing on Proposed Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials
The Federal Trade Commission will hold an informal hearing on its proposed rule banning fake reviews and testimonials at 10 a.m. ET on February 13, 2024.
During the hearing, which will be open to the public and available via webcast, interested parties will provide oral statements addressing issues raised during the rulemaking process.
FTC Order Prohibits Data Broker X-Mode Social and Outlogic from Selling Sensitive Location Data
Data broker X-Mode Social and its successor Outlogic will be prohibited from sharing or selling any sensitive location data to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company sold precise location data that could be used to track people’s visits to sensitive locations such as medical and reproductive health clinics, places of religious worship and domestic abuse shelters.
In its first settlement with a data broker concerning the collection and sale of sensitive location information, the FTC also charged that Virginia-based X-Mode Social and Outlogic, LLC, the successor firm to which X-Mode transferred most of its operations in 2021, failed to put in place reasonable and appropriate safeguards on the use of such information by third parties. Today’s action underscores the FTC’s strong commitment to restraining the collection, sale, or disclosure of consumer’ sensitive location data.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection; General Notice on Interest Rates
This notice advises the public that the quarterly Internal Revenue Service interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of customs duties will remain the same from the previous quarter. For the calendar quarter beginning January 1, 2024, the interest rates for underpayments will be 8 percent for both corporations and non-corporations. The interest rate for overpayments will be 8 percent for non-corporations and 7 percent for corporations.
Environmental Defense Fund Petitions FDA to Prohibit Certain Solvents in Food
FDA is announcing that they have filed a food additive petition, submitted by Environmental Defense Fund, et al., proposing that the food additive regulations be amended to remove solvents Benzene, Ethylene Dichloride, Methylene Chloride, and
Trichloroethylene.
APHIS Proposing to Allow Importation of Fresh Turmeric for Consumption From Mexico Into the U.S.
USDA is advising the public that they have prepared a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) for consumption from Mexico into the United States. Based on the analysis, USDA has determined that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh rhizomes of turmeric from Mexico.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Equivalence Process Update
Equivalence is the process by which the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) determines whether a country’s food safety inspection system achieves an appropriate level of public health protection as applied domestically by FSIS in the United States.
FSIS has updated the “Status Chart for Active Equivalence Requests” view the chart here.
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
This week’s updates are:
- For the investigation of elevated lead levels in Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches (ref # 1198) the advisory was updated to include investigation and sample testing updates. Refer to the advisory for additional information.
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
The latest FDA import alerts include imported foods that appear to be misbranded, suppliers who are not in compliance with FSVP, and more.
FDA Warning Letters
BC VAPIN’APE |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Woorilife & Health |
CGMP/Finished Pharmaceuticals/Adulterated |
MiMedx Group, Inc. |
Deviations/CFR/Regulations for Human Cells, Tissues & Cellular Products (HCT/Ps) |
Prime Lab LLC |
CGMP/Finished Pharmaceuticals/Adulterated |
Deymed Diagnostic s.r.o. |
CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated |
Jeffrey W. Taub, M.D./Children’s Hospital of Michigan |
Clinical Investigator |
Curexa – East, LLC dba Curexa |
Compounding Pharmacy/Adulterated Drug Products |
Neitz Instruments Company Ltd. |
Medical Device Reporting/Misbranded |
www.trinexpharmacy.com |
Finished Pharmaceuticals/Unapproved New Drug/Misbranded |