(a) Except as provided in this part, the ALJ is not bound by the Federal Rules of Evidence. However, the ALJ may apply the Federal Rules of Evidence when appropriate, for example, to exclude unreliable evidence.

(b) The ALJ must exclude evidence that (s)he determines is clearly irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitive.

(c) The ALJ may accept privileged information or proprietary data, but must maintain it under seal.

(d) The ALJ may permit the parties to introduce the testimony of expert witnesses on scientific and clinical issues, rebuttal witnesses, and other relevant evidence. The ALJ may require that the testimony of expert witnesses be submitted in the form of a written report, accompanied by the curriculum vitae of the expert preparing the report.

(e) Experts submitting reports must be available for cross-examination at an evidentiary hearing upon request of the ALJ or a party to the proceeding, or the reports will be excluded from the record.

(f) Except as set forth in paragraph (c) of this section or unless otherwise ordered by the ALJ for good cause shown, all documents and other evidence offered or taken for the record are open to examination by all parties.