[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19772-19773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9045]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-00-32]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) is providing an opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects. To request more information on the 
proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, call the CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-
7090.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques for other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to CDC/ATSDR Reports 
Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, Atlanta, GA 30333. 
Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Projects

    1. Interstate Control of Communicable Diseases--New--The Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) are planning to consolidate regulations related to 
controlling the spread of communicable diseases, thereby increasing 
their efficiency and effectiveness. Currently, the regulations 
contained in Part 1240 of Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, which 
pertain to interstate control of communicable diseases, are 
administered by FDA. Regulations to prevent the introduction, 
transmission, or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries 
into the United States are separately promulgated in Part 71 of Title 
42, Code of Federal Regulations and are administered by the CDC. FDA is 
transferring to CDC certain sections of 21 CFR Part 1240 that relate to 
restrictions on interstate travel of any person who is in the 
communicable period of cholera, plague, smallpox, typhus, or yellow 
fever, or who, having been exposed to any such disease, is in the 
incubation period thereof.
    Of the regulations being transferred, 21 CFR 1240.50 (Certain 
communicable diseases; special requirements), contains a requirement 
for reporting certain information to the Federal government. 
Specifically, this regulation requires any person who is in the 
communicable period of cholera, plague, smallpox, typhus or yellow 
fever, or who, having been exposed to any such disease, is in the 
incubation period thereof, to apply for and receive a permit from the 
Surgeon General or his authorized representative in order to travel 
from one State or possession to another.
    Control of disease transmission within the States is considered to 
be the province of State and Local health authorities, with Federal 
assistance being sought by those authorities on a cooperative basis, 
without application of Federal regulations. The regulations formerly 
administered by FDA and being assumed by CDC were developed to 
facilitate Federal action in the event of large outbreaks of disease 
requiring a coordinated effort involving several States, or in the 
event of inadequate local control. While it is not known whether, or to 
what extent, situations may arise in which these regulations would be 
invoked, contingency planning for domestic emergency preparedness is 
not uncommon. Should this occur, the reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements contained

[[Page 19773]]

in the regulations will be used by CDC to carry out quarantine 
responsibilities as required by law.
    Because of the uncertainty about whether a situation will ever 
arise precipitating CDC's enforcement of this rule, the following data 
collection burden estimate was prepared using the article Smallpox: An 
Attack Scenario, Tara O'Toole; Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 5, 
No. 4, Jul-Aug. 1999. This article describes the aftermath of a 
hypothetical domestic public health emergency situation involving 
smallpox virus. Of the potentially 15,000 persons infected with 
smallpox, the data collection assumes that one-fourth of these would 
apply for a permit to move from one state to another while in the 
communicable period of or having been exposed to smallpox. Should the 
event be different and/or involve a different number of people, the 
burden would vary accordingly. There is no cost to respondents.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
                   Respondents                      respondents    responses per   response  (in       hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicants......................................           3,750               1            0.25           937.5
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................           3,750  ..............  ..............           937.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: April 5, 2000.
Charles Gollmar,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 00-9045 Filed 4-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P