# Unique Device Identification System: Form and Content of the Unique Device Identifier; Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Availability
**AGENCY:**
Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
**ACTION:**
Notice of availability.
**SUMMARY:**
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Agency, or we) is announcing the availability of a final guidance entitled “Unique Device Identification System: Form and Content of the Unique Device Identifier (UDI).” This document describes the requirements for, and FDA's recommendations regarding, the form and content of the UDI to help ensure that the UDIs developed under systems for the issuance of UDIs meet the objectives of the Unique Device Identification System Final Rule.
**DATES:**
The announcement of the guidance is published in the *Federal Register* on July 7, 2021.
**ADDRESSES:**
You may submit either electronic or written comments on Agency guidances at any time as follows:
**Electronic Submissions**
Submit electronic comments in the following way:
• *Federal eRulemaking Portal:**https://www.regulations.gov.* Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to *https://www.regulations.gov* will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in the body of your comments, that information will be posted on *https://www.regulations.gov.*
• If you want to submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner detailed (see “Written/Paper Submissions” and “Instructions”).
**Written/Paper Submissions**
Submit written/paper submissions as follows:
• *Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier (for written/paper submissions):* Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
• For written/paper comments submitted to the Dockets Management Staff, FDA will post your comment, as well as any attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, as confidential, if submitted as detailed in “Instructions.”
*Instructions:* All submissions received must include the Docket No. FDA-2016-D-1853 for “Unique Device Identification System: Form and Content of the Unique Device Identifier (UDI).” Received comments will be placed in the docket and, except for those submitted as “Confidential Submissions,” publicly viewable at *https://www.regulations.gov* or at the Dockets Management Staff between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 240-402-7500.
• Confidential Submissions—To submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states “THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.” The Agency will review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be available for public viewing and posted on *https://www.regulations.gov.* Submit both copies to the Dockets Management Staff. If you do not wish your name and contact information to be made publicly available, you can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body of your comments and you must identify this information as “confidential.” Any information marked as “confidential” will not be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access the information at: *https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.*
*Docket:* For access to the docket to read background documents or the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to *https://www.regulations.gov* and insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into the “Search” box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Dockets Management Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852, 240-402-7500.
You may submit comments on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5)).
An electronic copy of the guidance document is available for download from the internet. See the *SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION* section for information on electronic access to the guidance. Submit written requests for a single hard copy of the guidance document entitled “Unique Device Identification System: Form and Content of the Unique Device Identifier (UDI)” to the Office of Policy, Guidance and Policy Development, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 66, Rm. 5431, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002. Send one self-addressed adhesive label to assist that office in processing your request.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Christopher Diamant, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 66, Rm. 3210, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 301-796-5995 or Stephen Ripley, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 71, Rm. 7301, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 240-402-7911.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**I. Background**
This document is intended to assist labelers, as defined in 21 CFR 801.3, and FDA-accredited issuing agencies, as defined in 21 CFR 830.3, in complying with UDI labeling requirements, including by clarifying FDA's interpretation of certain requirements under 21 CFR 801.40. Specifically, this guidance describes the requirements for, and FDA's recommendations regarding, the form and content of the UDI to help ensure that the UDIs developed under systems for the issuance of UDIs meet the objectives of the Unique Device Identification System Final Rule, 78 FR 58786 (September 24, 2013). In this guidance, we describe the two forms of a UDI, clarify the content of the UDI, and address the use of data delimiters that identify specific data elements within the UDI. The guidance also addresses the recommended order of the data in the easily readable plain text form of a UDI carrier. This guidance does not apply to universal product codes.
A notice of availability of the draft guidance appeared in the *Federal Register* of July 26, 2016 (81 FR 48814). FDA considered the comments received and revised the guidance as appropriate in response to the comments.
This guidance is being issued consistent with FDA's good guidance practices regulation (21 CFR 10.115). The guidance represents the current thinking of FDA on “Unique Device Identification System: Form and Content of the Unique Device Identifier (UDI).” 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.
**II. Electronic Access**
Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the guidance may do so by downloading an electronic copy from the internet. A search capability for all Center for Devices and Radiological Health guidance documents is available at *https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/device-advice-comprehensive-regulatory-assistance/guidance-documents-medical-devices-and-radiation-emitting-products.* This guidance document is also available at *https://www.regulations.gov* , *https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents* , or *https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/guidance-compliance-regulatory-information-biologics/biologics-guidances.* Persons unable to download an electronic copy of “Unique Device Identification System: Form and Content of the Unique Device Identifier (UDI)” may send an email request to *[email protected]* to receive an electronic copy of the document. Please use the document number 1500035 and complete title to identify the guidance you are requesting.
**III. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995**
While this guidance contains no collection of information, it does refer to previously approved FDA collections of information. Therefore, clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521) is not required for this guidance. The previously approved collections of information are subject to review by OMB under the PRA. The collections of information in the following FDA regulations have been approved by OMB as listed in the following table:
| 21 CFR part | Topic | OMB Control No. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 801 subpart B and 830 | Unique Device Identification | 0910-0720 |
Dated: July 1, 2021.
Lauren K. Roth,
Acting Principal Associate Commissioner for Policy.