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A: While any person can file a FOIA request, it frequently makes more sense to have FOI Services process the request. First, FOI Services offers convenience. FOI Services has filed over 100,000 FOIA requests…we know exactly how a request should be phrased, where to submit a request, and lots of other knowledge born of long experience. We often already have exactly the document you need…saving you weeks of waiting. FOI Services also keeps all requests confidential. Every request submitted to the Federal government is a matter of public record. When FOI Services requests a document, no one knows that you initiated a request… allowing you to keep your research projects confidential.
A: FOI Services does not process FOIA requests for information about private (non-government) individuals, nor do we process requests of a personal nature, as they are subject to the provisions of The Privacy Act, and must be signed by the individual in question. If you would like to request this information yourself, a list of government FOI addresses is available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/foia
A: If FOI Services has the document you need, it can can be downloaded immediately or a paper copy can be shipped to you within two business days; express delivery is available upon request. If the document you need must be ordered from the FDA turnaround time depends on the type of information requested. Some documents are available within a few weeks. Device Premarket Notifications [510(k)s] have the longest fulfillment time, typically 18-24 months.
A: If you're requesting a FOIA document for the first time you might be surprised by its appearance…unlike monographs and journal article reprints, these documents don't contain neat titles, abstracts, publication date and source, and other familiar hallmarks of the literature. The documents you receive were not prepared for publication, and are simply photocopies of correspondence, reviewers notes, handwritten observations, etc. They may be purged of confidential content with broad swipes of black ink. In the case of microfiche, material is withheld by physically cutting it off the film. That said, while these documents may not look attractive, they provide a wealth of information unattainable elsewhere. Samples of many document types are available at Document Descriptions.
A: Teleconferences are usually 90 minutes in length. Generally, a conference will take place from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
A: Yes, our teleconferences always include time for questions from the listeners. Presenters generally take questions for 30 minutes at the end of each presentation.
A: Of course. Your registration provides one dial-in to our teleconference line. Once connected, you are free to utilize speakerphone options and have your colleagues listen in. In fact, registrants often connect to our teleconferences in their conference rooms and make the presentation a department-wide activity.
A: Unfortunately, no. A second dial-in will not go through unless a second registration is purchased. Listeners all need to be at the same site.
A: Audio CDs containing the full presentation (including question and answer time) are made available for each teleconference. Copies of the handout materials are also provided along with the CD. Audio CDs are generally available 2-3 weeks after the teleconference and can be ordered prior to or after a teleconference for the same price as a registration. (Teleconference attendees may also purchase a copy of the audio CD from their teleconference at a reduced attendee price).
A: Yes, cancellations are accepted up to 48 hours before the start of a teleconference. Simply contact us via phone (301-975-9400) or email (teleconferences@foiservices.com). Cancellations are subject to a $50 cancellation fee; refunds will be issued minus the $50 fee. Alternatively, you may choose to receive a copy of the audio CD of the teleconference in lieu of a refund. Cancellations are not accepted within 48 hours of the teleconference start time. In these cases, your registration fee can be applied to an audio CD of the teleconference.
A: Dial-in instructions (as well as any handout materials for the presentation) are sent via email, typically 2 business days prior to the teleconference. They are sent to the email address provided at the time of registration, so please make sure to provide an email address that will be monitored during that time period.
A: For registrants outside of the U.S. and Canada, we ask that you provide us with a telephone number that will be monitored on the day of the teleconference. Our telecommunications provider will telephone you at that number approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the teleconference in order to connect you to the conference. You will still receive the email containing handout materials 2 business days prior to the teleconference.
A: Yes, once you receive the PDF of handout materials, you may print them and make photocopies to distribute to all attendees.
A: Each product name search is $449.
A: Just as FDA does, we search FDA's AERS and SRS databases. The difference is that, with one of our searches, the results are presented in a user-friendly format. Instead of paper printouts containing line listings of reports, you will receive a CD containing a custom Microsoft Access database which allows you to manipulate the data in a variety of ways (filters and exporting are two examples).
A: FDA's formal tracking of adverse event reports started with the SRS database in 1969. Since we are searching the FDA data, our searches may go back that far, depending on drug approval date.
A: The portion of the FDA records that we have access to currently goes through June 30, 2009. When new quarterly updates to the data become available, we work as quickly as possible to add these to our searches.
A: Yes. A standing order can be placed for $229 per product. When each new quarterly update is received, we will package a new set of data for you on the product(s) from your original search. You may choose to receive only the new information on your product(s) or a complete set of records with the new data included (recommended).
A: Searches with narrowed criteria are possible, but may be problematic because of the format of the original data. If you are interested in having us run a search of this nature, please contact one of our information specialists at 301-975-9400 or infofoi@foiservices.com so we may discuss your specific needs. Very specialized searches may involve additional charges. Another option is to obtain a complete set of records for the product in question and use the filter option included in your data to report by reaction type, outcome, or suspect status. Reports detailing reaction summaries and outcome summaries can also be created by the click of a button.
A: Due to the nature of FDA’s data, we do not recommend attempting to search for specific years. For various reasons, a date is not always recorded for each event report, making a date-specific search potentially incomplete. It’s recommended that you obtain a complete set of records for your desired product; you can then scan the results for the event date (where available) in records of interest.
A: Generally, both the trade name and generic name for a product will be listed in a report. However, there are a number of records where only one name was listed at the time the report was made to FDA. For this reason, it is recommended that both the trade and generic names be searched; this helps to ensure you don’t miss out on potentially valuable records.
A: Our search results are presented as a custom Microsoft Access database. They will run on computers with Microsoft Access version 2000 or higher.
A: Redacted copies (copies purged of confidential patient and reporter identifying information) of the original Medwatch forms are available from FDA via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. You’ll need the Individual Safety Report (ISR) number for each report you’d to see (ISR numbers are included in your custom database). FOI Services can place the FOIA request for Medwatch forms on your behalf; just call or email to have one of our Information Specialists assist you.
A: Click here to download a sample result set.