[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43875-43876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18588]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-18-1102]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information 
collection request titled Information Collection for Tuberculosis Data 
from Panel Physicians to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data 
Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on 
May 29, 2018 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. 
CDC received three comments related to the previous notice. This notice 
serves to allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency 
comments.
    CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information 
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    (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]. Direct written comments 
and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice to the 
Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Provide 
written comments within 30 days of notice publication.

Proposed Project

    Information Collection for Tuberculosis Data from Panel 
Physicians--Revision--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 revision of an 
existing information collection. This project pertains to collecting 
annual reports on certain tuberculosis data from U.S. panel physicians.
    The respondents are panel physicians. More than 760 panel 
physicians from 336 panel sites perform overseas pre-departure medical 
examinations in accordance with requirements, referred to as technical 
instructions, provided by DGMQs 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 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.
    Currently, CDC is requesting this data 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. Estimated annual burden is being reduced by 1,640 hours per 
year. The number of respondents is being reduced by 17. Reductions are 
due to revised estimates on burden time per response, and the removal 
of four variables from the data collection form and improved IT 
capacity at most panel sites. The total hours requested is 1,008. There 
is no cost to the respondents other than their time.

[[Page 43876]]



                                        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........  TB Indicators Excel                  336               1               3
                                         Spreadsheet.
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Acting 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. 2018-18588 Filed 8-27-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P