William Facteau and Patrick Fabian v. United States
AdministrativeLaw SocialSecurity FirstAmendment FifthAmendment DueProcess
Whether FDA's intended use' regulations violate the First Amendment and Fifth Amendment
QUESTIONS PRESENTED Petitioners were convicted of introducing into interstate commerce a “misbranded” and “adulterated” medical device. 21 U.S.C. § 331(a). That provision prohibits the distribution of an FDA-cleared device if the manufacturer has an off-label “intended use” for the device—i.e., a use different from the one cleared by FDA. FDA regulations provide that “intended use” is determined by the manufacturer’s “objective intent,” which may be shown by (i) a manufacturer’s “expressions,” such as “advertising matter” or other “oral or written statements”; and (ii) the circumstances surrounding the distribution of the article,” including “circumstances in which the article is, with the knowledge of [the manufacturer], offered and used for a purpose for which it is neither labeled nor advertised.” 21 C.F.R. §§ 201.128, 801.4 (2016 ed.). Because off-label uses are lawful and ubiquitous, such “circumstances” are ubiquitous as well. The “intended use” regulations thus effectively criminalize both truthful, non-misleading speech about off-label uses and “knowledge” of common and lawful “circumstances.” The questions presented are: 1. Whether FDA’s “intended use” regulations violate the First Amendment by _ requiring manufacturers to refrain from truthful, nonmisleading speech about off-label uses. 2. Whether FDA’s “intended use” regulations violate the Fifth Amendment by encouraging arbitrary enforcement and denying fair notice of what conduct may lead to prosecution.