[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 59438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29540]



[[Page 59438]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Assessment of the Use of 
Special Funding for Research on Type 1 Diabetes Provided by the 
Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the FY 2001 Consolidated Appropriations 
Act

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment 
on proposed data collection projects, the National Institute of 
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH), will publish periodic summaries of proposed 
projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and approval.
    Proposed Collection: Title: Assessment of the Use of Special 
Funding for Research on Type 1 Diabetes Provided by the Balanced Budget 
Act of 1997 and the FY 2001 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Type of 
Information Collection Request: NEW. Need and Use of Information 
Collection: This survey will be one source of input into a statutorily 
mandated assessment and report to the Congress on special funding for 
research on type 1 diabetes provided by the Balanced Budget Act of 
1997, Pub. L. 105-33, and the FY 2001 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
Pub. L. 106-554. These Acts provided $390 million in special funds to 
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for research aimed at 
understanding, treating and preventing type 1 diabetes and its 
complications. The Secretary of HHS subsequently designated to NIDDK 
the lead responsibility in the Department for developing a process for 
allocation of these funds. The primary objective of the survey is to 
gain information, via a brief questionnaire, from NIH research 
grantees, who were the primary recipients of these special funds, 
concerning their views on the impact of the type 1 diabetes research 
funding with respect to: (1) Advancing scientific accomplishments 
involving innovative, clinically relevant, and multidisciplinary 
research on type 1 diabetes; (2) developing resources or reagents 
useful for type 1 diabetes research; and (3) increasing the number and 
quality of type 1 diabetes investigators. The responses will provide 
valuable information concerning how the funds have facilitated research 
as intended by these Acts of Congress. The results will also help 
determine how research progress from these special congressional 
initiatives fits within the continuum of diabetes research, and how 
these funds have contributed to the field of type 1 diabetes research 
and NIH efforts to combat this challenging health problem. Information 
from this study will aid in evaluation of the process by which the 
research goals for use of the special type 1 diabetes funds have been 
developed and are being pursued. Responses from this survey will 
contribute to a statutorily mandated report, due to Congress on January 
1, 2003, evaluating the process and efforts under this program and 
assessing research initiatives funded by these Acts of Congress. 
Frequency of Response: The initial survey will require a one time 
response; though, respondents may be contacted again in the event of 
future congressionally mandated reports on the use of the special type 
1 diabetes research funds. Affected Public: Research scientists who 
received the special funds about which Congress has mandated in law the 
requirements for an evaluation report. Type of Respondents: Laboratory 
and clinical investigators who have received support from the special 
type 1 diabetes funds provided under the laws previously cited. The 
annual reporting burden is as follows: Estimated Number of Respondents: 
300; Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 (Respondents will 
be given one questionnaire containing an estimated fifteen questions.); 
Average Burden Hours Per Response: 1; and Estimated Total Annual Burden 
Hours Requested: 300. The annualized total cost to respondents is 
estimated at: $15,000. It is expected that the respondents will be 
contacted via email and that their responses will be collected through 
an Internet-accessible questionnaire. These measures will reduce the 
burden on the respondents and the overall costs of administering the 
study. Because different types of awards have been made with the 
special type 1 diabetes funds, the questionnaire may be tailored such 
that respondents will only be asked to answer a subset of questions 
that pertain to their particular type of award(s). No respondent will 
be asked to answer more than a total of fifteen questions, at least 
one-third of which will be answered with a ``yes'' or ``no'' or a one-
word response. There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no 
Operating or Maintenance Costs to report.
    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the 
following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) The 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on those who are to 
respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To request more information on the proposed 
project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, contact Dr. Michelle A. Cissell, AAAS/NIH Science Policy 
Fellow, Office of Scientific Program and Policy Analysis, NIDDK, NIH 
Building 31, Room 9A05, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, or 
call non-toll-free number (301) 496-6623 or E-mail your request, 
including your address to: [email protected]>.
    Comment Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60 days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: October 24, 2001.
Lynell Nelson,
Project Clearance Liaison, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive 
and Kidney Diseases.
[FR Doc. 01-29540 Filed 11-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M