[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59154-59155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24946]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-15-15AWV]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted 
the following information collection request to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for the proposed 
information collection is published to obtain comments from the public 
and affected agencies.
    Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are 
encouraged. Your comments should address any of the following: (a) 
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the 
accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; (d) Minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses; and 
(e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Written comments and/or 
suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice should be 
directed to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Written 
comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Information Collection for Tuberculosis Data from Panel 
Physicians--Existing Collection in Use Without an OMB Control Number--
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC), National 
Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division 
of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ), Immigrant, Refugee, and 
Migrant Health Branch (IRMH), requests approval for a new information 
collection to request quarterly reports on certain tuberculosis data 
from U.S. panel physicians.
    The respondents are panel physicians. More than 760 panel 
physicians perform overseas pre-departure medical examinations in 
accordance with requirements, referred to as technical instructions, 
provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division 
of Global Migration and Quarantine, Quality Assessment Program (QAP). 
The role of QAP is to assist and guide panel physicians in the 
implementation of the Technical Instructions; evaluate the quality of 
the overseas medical examination for U.S.-bound immigrants and 
refugees; assess potential panel physician sites; and provide 
recommendations to the U.S. Department of State in matters of immigrant 
medical screening.
    To achieve DGMQ's mission, the Immigrant, Refugee and Migrant 
Health branch (IRMH) works with domestic and international programs to 
improve the health of U.S.-bound immigrants and refugees to protect the 
U.S. public by preventing the importation of infectious disease. These 
goals are accomplished through IRMH's oversight of medical exams 
required for all U.S.-bound immigrants and refugees who seek permanent 
residence in the U.S. IRMH is responsible for assisting and training 
the international panel physicians with the implementation of medical 
exam Technical Instructions (TI). Technical Instructions are detailed 
requirements and national policies regarding the medical screening and 
treatment of all U.S.-bound immigrants and refugees.
    Screening for tuberculosis (TB) is a particularly important 
component of the immigration medical exam and allows panel physicians 
to diagnose active TB disease prior to arrival in the United States. As 
part of the Technical Instructions requirements, panel

[[Page 59155]]

physicians perform chest x-rays and laboratory tests that aid in the 
identification of tuberculosis infection (Class B1 applicants) and 
diagnosis of active tuberculosis disease (Class A, inadmissible 
applicants). CDC uses these classifications to report new immigrant and 
refugee arrivals with a higher risk of developing TB disease to U.S. 
state and local health departments for further follow-up. Some 
information that panel physicians collect as part of the medical exam 
is not reported on the standard Department of State forms (DS-forms), 
thereby preventing CDC from evaluating TB trends in globally mobile 
populations and monitoring program effectiveness.
    CDC currently collects this data based on past understanding of 
panel physicians as instrumentalities of the federal government. CDC 
requests OMB approval now to comply with PRA requirements for data 
collection. CDC is requesting this data to be sent by panel physicians 
once per year. The consequences of reducing this frequency would be the 
loss of monitoring program impact and TB burdens in mobile populations 
and immigrants and refugees coming to the United States on an annual 
basis. The total hours requested is 2,648. There is no cost to the 
respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated 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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International Panel Physicians (All   TB Indicators Excel                 353                1              7.5
 sites).                               Spreadsheet.
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Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2015-24946 Filed 9-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P