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U.S. Food and Drug Administration
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  3. Development & Approval Process | Drugs
  4. How Drugs are Developed and Approved
  5. Types of Applications
  6. Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA)
  7. Hatch-Waxman Letters
  1. Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA)

Hatch-Waxman Letters

The "Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984," also known as the Hatch-Waxman Amendments, established the approval pathway for generic drug products, under which applicants can submit an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) under section 505(j) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The Hatch-Waxman Amendments include provisions that involve patents and exclusivities related to new drug applications, and 180-day exclusivity for certain ANDA applicants. As a general matter, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) has implemented these statutory provisions within the context of application-specific decisions. In certain circumstances, FDA has received requests from applicants and other stakeholders for FDA’s communications related to such decisions. FDA intends to publish “frequently requested” communications (5 U.S.C. §552(a)(2)(D)). FDA may also, proactively, publish communications that it determines may be of general interest after addressing any concerns related to the disclosure of proprietary information.

The following letters provide information regarding generic drug approvals: