# 21 CFR § 20.1: Testimony by Food and Drug Administration employees

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.1

## Section

- **Citation:** 21 CFR § 20.1
- **Heading:** Testimony by Food and Drug Administration employees
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 21—Food and Drugs > CHAPTER I—FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES > SUBCHAPTER A—GENERAL > PART 20—PUBLIC INFORMATION > Subpart A—Official Testimony and Information

## Text

(a) No officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration or of any other office or establishment in the Department of Health and Human Services, except as authorized by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs pursuant to this section or in the discharge of his official duties under the laws administered by the Food and Drug Administration, shall give any testimony before any tribunal pertaining to any function of the Food and Drug Administration or with respect to any information acquired in the discharge of his official duties.
(b) Whenever a subpoena, in appropriate form, has been lawfully served upon an officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration commanding the giving of any testimony, such officer or employee shall, unless otherwise authorized by the Commissioner, appear in response thereto and respectfully decline to testify on the grounds that it is prohibited by this section.
(c) A person who desires testimony from any employee may make written request therefor, verified by oath, directed to the Commissioner setting forth his interest in the matter sought to be disclosed and designating the use to which such testimony will be put in the event of compliance with such request: Provided, That a written request therefor made by a health, food, or drug officer, prosecuting attorney, or member of the judiciary of any State, Territory, or political subdivision thereof, acting in his official capacity, need not be verified by oath. If it is determined by the Commissioner, or any other officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration whom he may designate to act on his behalf for the purpose, that such testimony will be in the public interest and will promote the objectives of the act and the agency, the request may be granted. Where a request for testimony is granted, one or more employees of the Food and Drug Administration may be designated to appear, in response to a subpoena, and testify with respect thereto.

## Nearby sections

- [21 CFR § 20.1 § 20.1 Testimony by Food and Drug Administration employees.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.1.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.2 § 20.2 Production of records by Food and Drug Administration employees.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.2.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.3 § 20.3 Certification and authentication of Food and Drug Administration records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.3.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.20 § 20.20 Policy on disclosure of Food and Drug Administration records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.20.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.21 § 20.21 Uniform access to records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.21.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.22 § 20.22 Partial disclosure of records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.22.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.23 § 20.23 Request for existing records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.23.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.24 § 20.24 Preparation of new records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.24.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.25 § 20.25 Retroactive application of regulations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.25.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.26 § 20.26 Electronic availability and indexes of certain records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.26.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.27 § 20.27 Submission of records marked as confidential.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.27.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.28 § 20.28 Food and Drug Administration determinations of confidentiality.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.28.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.29 § 20.29 Prohibition on withdrawal of records from Food and Drug Administration files.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.29.md)
- [21 CFR § 20.30 § 20.30 Food and Drug Administration Division of Freedom of Information.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.30.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-21-20.1. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.