21 CFR § 20.34 - Search for records.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t21/s20.34"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "21 CFR § 20.34 - Search for records."
title_number: 21
title_name: "Food and Drugs"
section_number: "20.34"
section_name: "Search for records."
chapter_name: "FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL"
part_number: "20"
part_name: "PUBLIC INFORMATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 552; 18 U.S.C. 1905; 19 U.S.C. 2531-2582; 21 U.S.C. 321-393, 1401-1403; 42 U.S.C. 241, 242, 242a, 242l, 242n, 243, 262, 263, 263b-263n, 264, 265, 300u-300u-5, 300aa-1."
regulatory_source: "42 FR 15616, Mar. 22, 1977, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "20"
---


# 20.34 Search for records.

(a) In responding to a request for records, the Food and Drug Administration shall make reasonable efforts to search for records kept in electronic form or format, except when such efforts would significantly interfere with the operation of the agency's automated information systems.

(b) The term “search” means to review, manually or by automated means, agency records for the purpose of locating those records that are responsive to the request.

[68 FR 25285, May 12, 2003]