Those rules would have prevented manufacturers from making health claims of any sort for any supplements without agency approval.

F.D.A. officials said the drug could gain final agency approval "in a matter of weeks."

Once a drug has agency approval to be on the market for one use, doctors can legally prescribe it for any other use.

Dietary supplements, which do not require agency approval, are trickier to define.

It must also complete the internal review process to receive final agency approval before being published in the Federal Register.

Yesterday's agency approval was based on tests in guinea pigs and monkeys.

About 100 sites a year came up for agency approval, employees say.

Three smaller implant manufacturers are also seeking agency approval.

He did say, however, that if the report was confirmed, the company would be the first to receive agency approval.

In 1988 airlines were allowed to develop and enforce their own carry-on policies, subject to agency approval.