[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39952-39953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16973]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0344]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Testing Communications on Medical Devices and 
Radiation-Emitting Products

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an 
opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain 
information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the 
Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and 
to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This 
notice solicits comments on communication studies involving medical 
devices and radiation-emitting products regulated by FDA. This 
information will be used to explore concepts of interest and assist in 
the development and modification of communication messages and 
campaigns to fulfill the agency's mission to protect the public health.

DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the collection 
of information by September 13, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to http://www.regulations.gov. Submit written comments on the 
collection of information to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-
305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, 
Rockville, MD 20852. All comments should be identified with the docket 
number found in brackets in the heading of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Gittleson, Office of 
Information Management, Food and Drug Administration, 1350 Piccard Dr., 
PI50-400B, Rockville, MD 20850, 301-796-5156, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information before 
submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this 
requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of 
information set forth in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, FDA 
invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA'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 respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques, when 
appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

[[Page 39953]]

Testing Communications on Medical Devices and Radiation-Emitting 
Products--(OMB Control Number 0910-New)

    FDA is authorized by section 1003(d)(2)(D) of the Federal Food, 
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) (21 U.S.C. 393(d)(2)(D)) to conduct 
educational and public information programs relating to the safety of 
regulated medical devices and radiation-emitting products. FDA must 
conduct needed research to ensure that such programs have the highest 
likelihood of being effective. Improving communications about medical 
devices and radiation-emitting products will involve many research 
methods, including individual indepth interviews, mall-intercept 
interviews, focus groups, self-administered surveys, gatekeeper 
reviews, and omnibus telephone surveys.
    The information collected will serve three major purposes. First, 
as formative research it will provide critical knowledge needed about 
target audiences to develop messages and campaigns about medical device 
and radiation-emitting product use. Knowledge of consumer and health 
care professional decisionmaking processes will provide the better 
understanding of target audiences that FDA needs to design effective 
communication strategies, messages, and labels. These communications 
will aim to improve public understanding of the risks and benefits of 
using medical devices and radiation-emitting products by providing 
users with a better context in which to place risk information more 
completely.
    Second, as initial testing, it will allow FDA to assess the 
potential effectiveness of messages and materials in reaching and 
successfully communicating with their intended audiences. Testing 
messages with a sample of the target audience will allow FDA to refine 
messages while still in the developmental stage. Respondents will be 
asked to give their reaction to the messages in either individual or 
group settings.
    Third, as evaluative research, it will allow FDA to ascertain the 
effectiveness of the messages and the distribution method of these 
messages in achieving the objectives of the message campaign. 
Evaluation of campaigns is a vital link in continuous improvement of 
communications at FDA.
    FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows:

                                                       Table 1.--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden
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                                                                                                                                       Total Operating &
             Section of the act                    No. of         Annual Frequency      Total Annual       Hours per    Total  Hours      Maintenance
                                                 Respondents        per Response          Responses        Response                        Costs\1\
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1003(d)(2)(D)                                           16,448                     1            16,448          0.1739         2,860             $25,239
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Total                                                   16,448                     1            16,448          0.1739         2,860             $25,239
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\1\ There are no capital costs associated with this collection of information.

    Annually, FDA projects about 30 studies using a variety of research 
methods, and lasting an average of 0.17 hours each (varying from 0.08-
1.5 hours). The operating and maintenance costs include contractor 
expenses for designing and conducting information collection 
activities, specifically, drawing samples, training interviewers, 
collecting and analyzing information, and reporting and disseminating 
findings. FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information 
based on prior recent experience with the various types of data 
collection methods described earlier. FDA is requesting this burden so 
as not to restrict the agency's ability to gather information on public 
sentiment for its proposals in its regulatory and communications 
programs.

    Dated: July 7, 2010.
Leslie Kux,
Acting Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2010-16973 Filed 7-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S