CFR

201.51—Declaration of net quantity of contents.

(a) The label of a prescription or insulin-containing drug in package form shall bear a declaration of the net quantity of contents. This shall be expressed in the terms of weight, measure, numerical count, or a combination of numerical count and weight or measure. The statement of quantity of drugs in tablet, capsule, ampule, or other unit dosage form shall be expressed in terms of numerical count; the statement of quantity for drugs in other dosage forms shall be in terms of weight if the drug is solid, semi-solid, or viscous, or in terms of fluid measure if the drug is liquid. When the drug quantity statement is in terms of the numerical count of the drug units, it shall be augmented to give the weight or measure of the drug units or the quantity of each active ingredient in each drug unit or, when quantity does not accurately reflect drug potency, a statement of the drug potency.

(b) Statements of weight of the contents shall in the case of prescription drugs be expressed in terms of avoirdupois pound, ounce, and grain or of kilogram, gram, and subdivisions thereof. A statement of liquid measure of the contents shall in the case of prescription drugs be expressed in terms of the U.S. gallon of 231 cubic inches and quart, pint, fluid-ounce, and fluid-dram subdivisions thereof, or of the liter and milliliter, or cubic centimeter, and shall express the volume at 68 °F. (20 °C.). A statement of the liquid measure of the contents in the case of insulin-containing drugs shall be expressed in terms of the liter and milliliter, or cubic centimeter, and shall express the volume at 68 °F. (20 °C.).

(c) The declaration shall contain only such fractions as are generally used in expressing the quantity of the drug. A common fraction shall be reduced to its lowest terms; a decimal fraction shall not be carried out to more than three places, except in the case of a statement of the quantity of an active ingredient in a unit of a drug.

(d) The declaration shall appear as a distinct item on the label and, in the case of large volume parenterals, may be embossed on the glass.

(e) The declaration shall accurately reveal the quantity of drug in the package exclusive of wrappers and other material packed therewith.

(f) A statement of the quantity of a prescription or insulin-containing drug in terms of weight or measure applicable to such drug, under the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, shall express with prominence and conspicuousness the number of the largest whole unit, as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, that are contained in the package. Any remainder shall be expressed in terms of common or decimal fractions of such unit or in terms of the next smaller whole unit and common or decimal fractions thereof.

(g) The declaration of net quantity of contents shall express an accurate statement of the quantity of contents of the package. Reasonable variations caused by loss or gain of moisture during the course of good distribution practice or by unavoidable deviations in good manufacturing practice will be recognized. Variations from stated quantity of contents shall not be unreasonably large. In the case of a liquid drug in ampules or vials, intended for injection, the declaration shall be considered to express the minimum quantity and the variation above the stated measure shall comply with the excess volume prescribed by the National Formulary or the U.S. Pharmacopeia for filling of ampules. In the case of a solid drug in ampules or vials, the declaration shall be considered to express the accurate net weight. Variations shall comply with the limitations provided in the U.S. Pharmacopeia or the National Formulary.

(h) A drug shall be exempt from compliance with the net quantity declaration required by this section if it is an ointment labeled “sample”, “physician's sample”, or a substantially similar statement and the contents of the package do not exceed 8 grams.

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