[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 48 (Thursday, March 11, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11637-11638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5505]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; National Center for 
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Office of Communications and 
Public Liaison Communications Program Planning and Evaluation

SUMMARY: Under the provisions of section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the National Center for Complementary and 
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 
will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for 
review and approval of the information collection listed below. A 
notice of this proposed information collection was previously published 
in the Federal Register on September 12, 2003, page 53743, and allowed 
60 days for public comment. In response to the notice, NCCAM received 
one request to learn more about the overall evaluation plans. The 
purpose of this notice is to announce a final 30 days for public 
comment. NIH may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not 
required to respond to, an information collection that has been 
extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless 
it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Proposed Collection

    Title: NCCAM Office of Communications and Public Liaison 
Communications Programs Planning and Evaluation. Type of Information 
Collection Request: New. Need and Use of Information Collection: NCCAM 
provides the public, patients, families, health care providers, 
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners, and other 
with the latest scientifically based information on CAM and information 
about NCCAM's programs through a variety of channels. NCCAM requests 
permission to collect data from individuals and organizations in order 
to conduct (1) Formative research and (2) evaluation of activities, 
using both qualitative and quantitative methods. OCPL communications 
goals include raising awareness of issues unique to CAM so that 
consumers and health care providers can make better, more informed 
decisions, and establishing NCCAM as the source for credible, 
authoritative CAM information. The response data collected under this 
generic clearance will be used to improve communication activities 
through (1) Identifying key audiences, (2) developing program plans to 
meet the needs of diverse audiences, (3) developing messages and 
evaluating how well they resonate with intended audiences, and (4) 
evaluating how well communications program reach their intended 
audiences. Frequency of Response: Periodically or as needed. Affected 
Public: Individuals and households; nonprofit institutions; Federal 
government; State, local, or tribal government. Type of Respondents: 
Members of the public, health care professionals, representatives of 
organizations. The annual reporting burden is as follows. Estimated 
Number of Respondents: 2,440. Estimated Number of Responses per 
Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours per Response: 0.29. Estimated 
Annual Total Burden Hours Requested: 713. There are no capital costs, 
operating costs, or maintenance costs to report.
    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies are invited on 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

[[Page 11638]]

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.
    Direct Comments to OMB: Written comments and/or suggestions 
regarding the item(s) contained in this notice, especially regarding 
the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be 
directed to the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Regulatory 
Affairs, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 
20503, Attention: Desk Officer for NIH. To request more information on 
the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans 
and instruments, contact: Christy Thomsen, Director, Office of 
Communications and Public Liaison, NCCAM, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, 
Suite 401, Bethesda, MD 20892-5475; or fax your request to 301-480-
3519; or e-mail [email protected]. Ms. Thomsen can be contacted by 
telephone at 301-451-8876.
    Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: March 4, 2004.
Christy Thomsen,
Director, Office of Communications and Public Liaison, National Center 
for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of 
Health.
[FR Doc. 04-5505 Filed 3-10-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M