[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 192 (Friday, October 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59775-59776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23551]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2011-N-0076]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office 
of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Electronic Records; 
Electronic Signatures

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that a 
proposed collection of information has been submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Fax written comments on the collection of information by 
November 3, 2014.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that comments on the information collection are 
received, OMB recommends that written comments be faxed to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attn: FDA Desk Officer, 
FAX: 202-395-7285, or emailed to [email protected]. All 
comments should be identified with the OMB control number 0910-0303. 
Also include the FDA docket number found in brackets in the heading of 
this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FDA PRA Staff, Office of Operations, 
Food and Drug Administration, 8455 Colesville Rd., COLE-14526, Silver 
Spring, MD 20993-0002, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with 44 U.S.C. 3507, FDA has 
submitted the following proposed collection of information to OMB for 
review and clearance.

Electronic Records; Electronic Signatures--(OMB Control Number 0910-
0303)--Extension

    FDA regulations in part 11 (21 CFR part 11) provide criteria for 
acceptance of electronic records, electronic signatures, and 
handwritten signatures executed to electronic records as equivalent to 
paper records. Under these regulations, records and reports may be 
submitted to FDA electronically provided the Agency has stated its 
ability to accept the records electronically in an Agency-established 
public docket and that the other requirements of part 11 are met.
    The recordkeeping provisions in part 11 (Sec. Sec.  11.10, 11.30, 
11.50, and 11.300) require the following standard operating procedures 
to assure appropriate use of, and precautions for, systems using 
electronic records and signatures: (1) Sec.  11.10 specifies procedures 
and controls for persons who use closed systems to create, modify, 
maintain, or transmit electronic records; (2) Sec.  11.30 specifies 
procedures and controls for persons who use open systems to create, 
modify, maintain, or transmit electronic records; (3) Sec.  11.50 
specifies procedures and controls for persons who use electronic 
signatures; and (4) Sec.  11.300 specifies controls to ensure the 
security and integrity of electronic signatures based upon use of 
identification codes in combination with passwords. The reporting 
provision (Sec.  11.100) requires persons to certify in writing to FDA 
that they will regard electronic signatures used in their systems as 
the legally binding equivalent of traditional handwritten signatures.
    The burden created by the information collection provision of this 
regulation is a one-time burden associated with the creation of 
standard operating procedures, validation, and certification. The 
Agency anticipates the use of electronic media will substantially 
reduce the paperwork

[[Page 59776]]

burden associated with maintaining FDA required records. The 
respondents are businesses and other for-profit organizations, state or 
local governments, Federal Agencies, and nonprofit institutions.
    In the Federal Register of March 28, 2014 (79 FR 17551), FDA 
published a 60-day notice requesting public comment on the proposed 
collection of information. No comments were received.
    FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows:

                                                     Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Number of
                           21 CFR section                               Number of      responses per     Total annual    Average burden    Total hours
                                                                       respondents       respondent       responses       per response
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.100--General Requirements.......................................           4,500                1            4,500                1            4,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.


                               Table 2--Estimated Annual Recordkeeping Burden \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Number of                    Average burden
         21 CFR section              Number of      records per    Total annual         per         Total hours
                                   recordkeepers   recordkeeper       records      recordkeeping
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.10--Controls for closed                 2,500               1           2,500              20          50,000
 systems........................
11.30--Controls for open systems           2,500               1           2,500              20          50,000
11.50--Signature manifestations.           4,500               1           4,500              20          90,000
11.300--Controls for                       4,500               1           4,500              20          90,000
 identification codes/passwords.
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............         280,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of
  information.


    Dated: September 29, 2014.
Peter Lurie,
Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning.
[FR Doc. 2014-23551 Filed 10-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P