[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 167 (Monday, August 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44855-44856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20882]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation of the NIAID HIV 
Vaccine Research Education Initiative

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 Allergy 
and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), 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: Evaluation of the NIAID HIV Vaccine 
Research Education Initiative, Highly Impacted Population Survey. Type 
of Information Collection Request: NEW. Need and Use of Information 
Collection: Developing measures that protect against HIV infection is 
one of NIAID's highest priorities. Methods in development for the 
prevention of HIV infection include: HIV vaccines, microbicides, and 
pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Given the daunting complexity of the 
HIV virus, developing these methods will ultimately require tens of 
thousands of volunteers to participate in HIV prevention clinical 
trials. In the U.S., minority participation in clinical trials of HIV 
prevention technologies is essential; nearly two-thirds of people 
diagnosed with HIV in the United States are African American or 
Hispanic/Latino. Historically, recruitment of racial/ethnic populations 
has been a critical challenge for medical researchers, and initiatives 
to increase recruitment of these groups into cancer and chronic disease 
trials have only been partially successful.
    To address the need for volunteers in HIV vaccine clinical trials, 
and enable NIAID to fulfill its Congressional mandate to prevent 
infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, NIAID created the NIAID HIV Vaccine 
Research Education Initiative (NHVREI). The goal of NHVREI is to 
increase knowledge about and support for HIV vaccine research among 
U.S. populations most heavily affected by HIV/AIDS--in particular, 
African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, men who have sex with men (MSM), 
women and youth, recognizing the intersection of these groups.
    A critical component of NHVREI is outreach to members of these 
specific highly impacted populations. With the assistance of funded 
community-based and national organizations, NHVREI is designing, 
developing, and disseminating HIV vaccine research-related messages to 
NHVREI target audiences. These messages are delivered through print 
(e.g., brochures, posters, fact sheets, information kits), radio, TV, 
and Internet resources. Print materials are distributed through various 
NHVREI program activities (e.g., trainings, conferences, symposia) and 
other NIAID-funded partners, governmental and non-governmental 
organizations.
    NIAID is conducting an evaluation of the NHVREI program in order to 
assess its impact and generate key findings applicable toward the 
design of future educational initiatives. Part of the evaluation 
includes a population survey to guide future NHVREI activities.
    With this document, NIAID requests clearance for the third part of 
the evaluation, a survey of the general population and members of the 
U.S. populations most heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS. The survey will be 
conducted once in 2010. The total number of respondent burden hours 
will not exceed 1167 annually. Frequency of Response: Once. Affected 
Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: General U.S. population with 
oversampling of subpopulations highly impacted by HIV. The annual 
reporting burden is shown in the table below. There are no Capital 
Costs to report. There are no Operating or Maintenance Costs to report.

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                                                                 Total No. of      Hours per
                                                                 respondents        response       Total hours
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Highly Impacted Population Surveys...........................           3,500          0.33333            1,167
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    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;

[[Page 44856]]

(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 CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, contact Katharine Kripke, Assistant Director, Vaccine 
Research Program, Division of AIDS, NIAID, NIH, 6700B Rockledge Dr., 
Bethesda, MD 20892-7628, or call non-toll-free number 301-402-0846, 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 60 days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: August 25, 2009.
J.J. McGowan,
Executive Officer, NIAID, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. E9-20882 Filed 8-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P