Consumer/Industry Inquiries

The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research is dedicated to ensuring that all persons involved in, or who depend upon, drug regulation excellence have the information needed to develop, review, market, dispense, prescribe or use drugs safely and effectively.

To enhance the communications aspect of this process, the Center created the Office of Training and Communications' Division of Communications Management (DCM). This division enhances information exchange, strategic communications planning, and the development of communications products and initiatives.

DCM works to ensure that pharmaceutical industry representatives, health care professionals, government officials, and consumers have easy and open access to information, and are educated about the drug regulation process and the benefits and risks of drugs.

Any of these individuals or groups may request information on specific drugs, guidance documents, publications, or general information such as a description of the drug approval process.

There are a number of ways consumers and industry representatives can communicate with or get reliable, current, and up-to-date information from the Center.

• The newest, and easiest, method for getting information is the Center's World Wide Web home page at http://www.fda.gov/cder.
• For more specific or complex drug inquiries, telephone the Drug Information Branch at (301) 827-4573 or click here to send them an electronic mail message at druginfo@cder.fda.gov.

Other sources of information include:

• the FDA Office of Public Affairs, at (301) 443-1130.

In addition, consumers and industry representatives can contact:

• Ron Wilson, Director Small Business Assistance, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research,  (301)-827-1694, wilsonr@cder.fda.gov.
• CDER Ombudsman, Warren Rumble
• FDA Freedom of Information Staff, (301) 827-6567;
• FDA MedWatch Office at 1-800-FDA-1088;
• AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service, 1-800-TRIALS-A or on the World Wide Web at http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/ [Notice: This link will take you outside the CDER web site].