[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 145 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41511-41512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3681]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed collection; Comment Request; Physicians' Experience of 
Ethical Dilemmas and Resource Allocation

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 
CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the 
intention of the Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health 
(NIHDCB) to request approval for a new information collection, 
Physicians' Experience of Ethical Dilemmas and Resource Allocation. The 
proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal 
Register on May 17, 2007, on pages 27817-18 and allowed 60-days for 
public comment. Two public comments were received. The purpose of this 
notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.

[[Page 41512]]

The National Institutes of Health 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: Physicians' Experience of Ethical 
Dilemmas and Resource Allocation. Type of Information Collection 
Request: New. Need and Use of Information Collection: Health care costs 
are rising ceaselessly and there are currently no generally accepted 
way of controlling them. This study will access the experience of 
physicians regarding resource allocation in clinical practice, and how 
allocation decisions made at other levels shapes this experience. The 
primary objectives of the study are to determine if physicians make 
decisions to withhold interventions on the basis of cost, how often 
they report doing so, what types of care are withheld, and what 
criteria are used in making such decisions. The findings will provide 
valuable information concerning: (1) The practice of resource 
allocation in clinical practice, (2) the possible effects of perceived 
constraints on this practice; and (3) international comparisons on 
these two aspects. Frequency of Response: Once. Affected Public: 
Individuals or households; Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions. Type of Respondents: Physicians. The annual 
reporting burden is as follows: Estimated Number of Respondents: 250; 
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours 
per Response: 0.3674; and Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours 
Requested: 91.85. The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: 
$5,218. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs and/or Maintenance 
Costs to report.
    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies should address one or more of the 
following points: (1) Evaluate 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) Evaluate 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) Enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(4) 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: Dr. Marion Danis, Department of Bioethics, 
DCB, CC, NIH, Building 10, Room 1C 118, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, 
MD 20892-1156, or call non-toll-free number 301-435-8727 or e-mail your 
request, including your address to: [email protected].
    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: July 24, 2007.
David K. Henderson,
Deputy Director, Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National 
Institutes of Health.
Rebecca Chen,
Senior Department Administrator, Department of Clinical Bioethics, 
Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 07-3681 Filed 7-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M