[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70516-70517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20535]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-07-0600]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-5960 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected]. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 395-6974. 
Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Performance Evaluation Program for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and 
Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) Drug Susceptibility Testing (0920-

[[Page 70517]]

0600)--Extension--National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM), 
Coordinating Center for Health Information and Service (COCHIS), 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Background and Brief Description

    While the overall number of cases of TB in the U.S. has decreased, 
rates still remain high among foreign-born persons, prisoners, homeless 
populations, and individuals infected with HIV in major metropolitan 
areas. The rate of TB cases detected in foreign-born persons has been 
reported to be almost nine times higher than the rate among the U.S. 
born population. CDC's goal to eliminate TB will be virtually 
impossible without considerable effort in assisting heavy disease 
burden countries in the reduction of tuberculosis. As part of the 
continuing effort to support both domestic and global public health 
objectives for treatment of tuberculosis (TB), prevention of multi-drug 
resistance and surveillance programs, the National Center for Health 
Marketing, Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) seeks to continue to 
collect information from domestic private clinical and public health 
laboratories twice per year. Participation and information collections 
from international laboratories are limited to those which have public 
health responsibilities for tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing 
and approval by their national tuberculosis program. The M. 
tuberculosis/NTM program supports this role by monitoring the level of 
performance and practices among laboratories performing M. tuberculosis 
susceptibility within the U.S. as well as internationally to promote 
high-quality laboratory testing, resulting in accurate and reliable 
results.
    Information collected in this program includes the susceptibility 
test results of primary and secondary drugs, concentrations, and test 
methods performed by laboratories on a set of challenge isolates sent 
twice yearly. A portion of the response instrument collects demographic 
data such as laboratory type and the number of tests performed 
annually. By providing an evaluation program to assess the ability of 
the laboratories to test for drug resistant M. tuberculosis and 
selected strains of NTM, laboratories have a self-assessment tool to 
aid in maximizing their skills in susceptibility testing. Information 
obtained from laboratories on susceptibility testing practices and 
procedures assists with determining variables related to good 
performance, with assessing areas for training and with developing 
practice standards.
    There are no costs to respondents other than their time. The 
estimated annualized burden hours are 165.332.
    Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours

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                                                                                   Number of      Average burden
         Type of respondents                 Form name            Number of      responses per     per response
                                                                 respondents       respondent       (in hours)
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Laboratories U.S. and foreign.......  Enrollment.............                2                1    (5/60) 0.0833
                                      Information change.....                2                1    (5/60) 0.0833
                                      Results Form...........              165                2      (30/60) 0.5
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    Dated: November 29, 2006.
Deborah Holtzman,
Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E6-20535 Filed 12-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P