FDA ACE Pilot to Begin With Drug Imports at Three Ports

ORLANDO, Fla. – The upcoming Food and Drug Administration pilot to test filing and release of FDA-regulated entries in the Automated Commercial Environment will start with drugs before expanding to other products, said Domenic Veneziano, FDA director of import operations, at the annual conference of the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America April 22. The pilot, which will begin July 1, will start at three ports: Baltimore, Otay Mesa and Philadelphia, he said. The agency wants to make sure its IT systems are running smoothly before adding other FDA-regulated products to the pilot, but intends to eventually test all types of commodities before ACE cargo release becomes mandatory in November, said Veneziano. Medical devices will come after drugs in August, he said. Veneziano announced the FDA pilot would begin in July at a webinar last March (see 1503240065).