FDA Searchable Tobacco Products Database
The FDA has created a searchable tobacco products database on the agency’s website that contains a list of tobacco products, including electronic cigarette products, that may be legally marketed in the United States. The database is designed to provide key information in a single location, with search capabilities. The database, which can be accessed at www.fda.gov/searchtobacco, will be updated monthly by the FDA.
Within the database, the FDA provides information on three categories of products including: 1) new tobacco products that received marketing authorization from the FDA; 2) pre-existing tobacco products that were on the market as of February 15, 2007; and 3) provisional tobacco products that were removed from FDA agency review (see provisional tobacco products definition).
The FDA database contains a searchable list of nearly 17,000 tobacco products, with over 12,000 being pre-existing tobacco products. For each entry, the FDA provides available information on the tobacco product, including the product name, company, category, sub-category, the authority permitting its sale in the U.S. and the date of FDA action. Additionally, the database also includes links to regulatory and scientific documents, such as the Order Letter and Decision Summary, as well as the Environmental Assessment (EA) and related documents associated with a tobacco product application.
To help explain some of the terminology and context about the content of the database, the FDA has also developed the Searchable Tobacco Products Database – Additional Information webpage. The webpage also includes answers to potential questions about the database, including a question related to unauthorized products with pending applications. In general, the FDA is unable to provide information on pending applications in order to protect confidential commercial information. Moreover, for new products that require authorization, a pending application does not create a safe harbor to sell that product.
Questions? Contact Tom Briant (tomb@cdaweb.net; (703) 208-1641),
Kathee Facchiano (kfacchiano@capitoldecisions.com; (202) 638-1950)
or Sarah Herbert (sherbert@capitoldecisions.com; (202) 638-0326).