Department of Health and Human Services 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces the establishment of the National Commission on Children and Disasters, a Secretary's Advisory Committee. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Pub. L. 110-161), Division G, Title VI, directs the establishment of the National Commission on Children and Disasters. The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive study to examine and assess the needs of children as they relate to preparation for, response to, and recovery from all hazards, building upon the evaluation of other entities and avoiding unnecessary duplication by reviewing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of these entities, and shall then submit a report to the President and Congress on the Commission's specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations to address the needs of children as they relate to major disasters and emergencies.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a program of periodic surveys conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Examination surveys conducted since 1960 by NCHS, have provided national estimates of health and nutritional status of the United States civilian non-institutionalized population. To add to the large amount of information collected for the purpose of describing the health of the population in the most recent survey, serum, urine and limited plasma samples were collected and stored for future research projects. Specimens are currently available from NHANES III (conducted from 1988-1994) and from NHANES 1999+. In 1999, NHANES became a continuous survey with data release every two years. Specimens are available from two year survey cycles after the demographic file has been released to the public. Participants in the survey that began in 1999 signed a separate consent document agreeing to specimen storage allowing their biologic specimens to be used for approved research projects. Specimens are stored in two Specimen Banks. Surplus samples that were initially used for laboratory assays included in the surveys, have since been stored at -70[deg] C and have been through at least two freeze-thaw cycles. They are stored at a commercial repository under contract to NCHS. In addition, on average, six vials of sera were also stored in vapor-phase liquid nitrogen at the CDC and ATSTR Specimen Packaging, Inventory and Repository (CASPIR) Repository in Lawrenceville, GA. These specimens have not undergone a freeze-thaw cycle. The CASPIR Repository is considered a long-term repository for the NHANES specimens. NCHS is making both of these collections available for research proposals. The research proposals that can use the surplused specimens will receive higher priority. Proposals that request the specimens in CASPIR need to justify the use of the unthawed specimens. The purpose of this notice is to request comments on this program and the proposed cost schedule. After consideration of comments submitted, CDC will finalize and publish the cost schedule and accept proposals for use of the NHANES stored biologic samples. Please go to https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/serum1b.htm for final proposal guidelines. All interested researchers are encouraged to submit proposals. No funding is provided as part of this solicitation. Samples will not be provided to those projects requiring funding until the project has received funds. Approved projects that do not obtain funding will be canceled. A more complete description of this program follows.

This notice announces the 29th meeting of the American Health Information Community Consumer Empowerment Workgroup in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.).

This notice announces the 26th meeting of the American Health Information Community Chronic Care Workgroup in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.)

This notice announces the 25th meeting of the American Health Information Community Electronic Health Records Workgroup in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.)

This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection project: ``Study of Factors Influencing Consumer Choices Among Health Plans and Clinicians.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance entitled ``M3(R2) Nonclinical Safety Studies for the Conduct of Human Clinical Trials and Marketing Authorization for Pharmaceuticals.'' The draft guidance was prepared under the auspices of the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The draft guidance, which is a revision of an existing guidance, discusses the types of nonclinical studies, their scope and duration, and their relation to the conduct of human clinical trials and marketing authorization for pharmaceuticals. The draft guidance is intended to facilitate the timely conduct of clinical trials and reduce the unnecessary use of animals and other drug development resources.

The Food and Drug Administration is correcting a notice that published in the Federal Register on August 25, 2008 (73 FR 50033). The notice announced a public hearing to obtain input regarding over-the- counter (OTC) cough and cold drugs marketed for pediatric use. Due to some confusion regarding electronic registration, this notice revises the electronic registration procedures, and corrects the address for the contact person.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting comments and scientific data and information that may assist the agency to improve the guidance to industry set forth in the ``Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables,'' issued in 1998. Specifically, FDA is seeking information about current agricultural practices and conditions used to grow, harvest, pack, cool, and transport fresh produce; risk factors for contamination of fresh produce associated with these practices; and possible measures that FDA could implement that would enhance the safety of fresh produce.

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.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) gives notice of a decision to designate a class of employees at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as an addition to the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. On August 15, 2008, the Secretary of HHS designated the following class of employees as an addition to the SEC:

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled ``Integrated Summary of Effectiveness.'' This draft guidance describes how an integrated summary of effectiveness (ISE) should be prepared by industry for new drug applications (NDAs) and biologics license applications (BLAs). This guidance, when final, will supersede section G, Integrated Summary of Effectiveness Data, of the 1988 guidance on ``Format and Content of the Clinical and Statistical Sections of an Application'' (Clin-Stat guidance). This guidance also incorporates the conceptual framework of section 2.7.3, Summary of Clinical Efficacy, from the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidance for industry ``M4E The CTD Efficacy.'' This guidance is intended to improve the quality of product applications by describing what efficacy information should be submitted so that FDA can make a regulatory decision on an application.

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, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the collection of information associated with the Food Contact Substances Notification System.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) gives notice of a determination concerning a petition to add a class of employees at the Sandia National LaboratoryLivermore, Livermore, California, to the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), 42 U.S.C. 7384q. On July 29, 2008, the Secretary of HHS determined that the following employees do not meet the statutory criteria for addition to the SEC as authorized under EEOICPA:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a public hearing to obtain input regarding over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold drugs marketed for pediatric use. Many of these nonprescription cough and cold drug products are marketed under the OTC Drug Review, which established a monograph describing the conditions under which certain OTC ingredients are considered to be generally recognized as safe and effective. Recently, safety and efficacy concerns have been raised regarding the pediatric dosing and use of certain active ingredients in OTC cough and cold drug products. FDA is developing a proposed rule to revise the pediatric labeling contained in the Final Monograph for Cough, Cold, Allergy, Bronchodilator, and Antiasthmatic Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use. At this public hearing, FDA is interested in obtaining public comment about certain scientific, regulatory, and product use issues as it proceeds with the rulemaking and reviews new drug applications (NDAs) for these ingredients. Dates and Times: The public hearing will be held on October 2, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: The public hearing will be held at the Sheraton Washington North Hotel, 4095 Powder Mill Rd., Beltsville, MD 20705.

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.

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.

Under the provisions of Section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2008, pages 34026-34027, and allowed 60 days for public comment. No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The NIH may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, information that has been extended, revised or implemented on or after October 1, 2008, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Proposed Collection: Title: National Institutes of Health Construction Grants42 CFR Part 52b (Final Rule). Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of No. 0925-0424, expiration date 8/31/ 2008. Need and Use of the Information Collection: This request is for OMB review and approval of an extension for the information collection and recordkeeping requirements contained in the regulation codified at 42 CFR Part 52b. The purpose of the regulation is to govern the awarding and administration of grants awarded by NIH and its components for construction of new buildings and the alteration, renovation, remodeling, improvement, expansion, and repair of existing buildings, including the provision of equipment necessary to make the buildings (or applicable part of the buildings) suitable for the purpose for which it was constructed. In terms of reporting requirements: Section 52b.9(b) of the regulation requires the transferor of a facility which is sold or transferred, or owner of a facility, the use of which has changed, to provide written notice of the sale, transfer or change within 30 days. Section 52b.10(f) requires a grantee to submit an approved copy of the construction schedule prior to the start of construction. Section 52b.10(g) requires a grantee to provide daily construction logs and monthly status reports upon request at the job site. Section 52b.11(b) requires applicants for a project involving the acquisition of existing facilities to provide the estimated cost of the project, cost of the acquisition of existing facilities, and cost of remodeling, renovating, or altering facilities to serve the purposes for which they are acquired.In terms of recordkeeping requirements: Section 52b.10(g) requires grantees to maintain daily construction logs and monthly status reports at the job site. Frequency of Response: On occasion. Affected Public: Non-profit organizations and Federal agencies. Type of respondents: Grantees. The estimated respondent burden is as follows:

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, IHS is proposing to modify or alter an SOR, ``Medical, Health and Billing Records,'' System No. 09-17-0001. IHS is proposing to amend routine use number 10 to be more consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule language, 45 CFR 164.512(b) by changing the language to state ``which are authorized by applicable Federal, State, Tribal or local law * * *,'' which would give IHS the discretion of allowing additional disclosures. For example, this change will give IHS the discretion to disclose controlled substance prescription data to a centralized database administered by an authorized State public health entity, such as state prescription drug monitoring programs (PMP). IHS is also proposing to add routine use number 25 to meet the newly established requirement by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memoranda (M) 07-16, Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information and to Comply with HHS Incident Reporting and Handling Requirements. Effective Dates: IHS filed an altered/modified system report with the Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB on August 25, 2008. To ensure that all parties have adequate time in which to comment, the modified SOR will become effective 40 days from the publication of the notice, or from the date it was submitted to OMB and the Congress, whichever is later, unless IHS invites comments on all portions of this notice.

In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which requires 60 days for public comment on proposed information collection projects, the Indian Health Service (IHS) is publishing for comment a summary of a proposed information collection to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Proposed Collection: Title: 0917-NEW, ``Indian Health Service HIV Knowledge/Attitudes/Practice Customer Survey.'' Type of Information Collection Request: This is a one time survey to deliver the mission of the IHS and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) national guidelines collection, 0917-NEW, ``Indian Health Service HIV Knowledge/Attitudes/ Practice Customer Survey.'' Form(s): The Indian Health Service Customer Survey. Need and Use of Information Collection: The IHS goal is to raise the health status of the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people to the highest possible level by providing comprehensive health care and preventive health services. To support the IHS mission, the Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention (DEDP) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Program collaborate to provide programmatic, technical, and financial assistance to IHS Areas and Service Units for improving prevention, detection, and treatment of infectious and chronic disease, specifically in this case, HIV and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD). The ``HIV Knowledge/Attitudes/Practice Customer Survey'' (hereto referred to as Customer Survey), will provide the information needed to understand the most effective and appropriate methods to complete these goals. With the information collected from patients, we will be able to offer recommendations to Service Units on how to best scale up screening for sensitive topics such as HIV and STDs in AI/AN communities. Also, the information will give IHS the tools to assist our Service Units with implementation of current national recommendations by CDC. At the moment, we are encouraging uptake of current CDC national recommendations; however, without this information, we are unable to maximize effectiveness, dispel myths, and identify misinformation. Voluntary customer surveys will be conducted through self- administered questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, and potentially electronic media. The information gathered will be used by DEDP and the HIV Program to identify how patients would prefer to be offered expanded testing in a way that is respectful, confidential, and effective. Affected Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: IHS customers. The table below provides: Types of data collection instruments, Estimated number of respondents, Number of responses per respondent, Average burden hour per response, and Total annual burden hour(s).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its regulations regarding changes to an approved new drug application (NDA), biologics license application (BLA), or medical device premarket approval application (PMA). This final rule provides that a supplemental application submitted under certain FDA regulations is appropriate to amend the labeling for an approved product to reflect newly acquired information and to add or strengthen a contraindication, warning, precaution, or adverse reaction if there is sufficient evidence of a causal association with the drug, biologic, or device, as defined in other FDA regulations and guidance documents.

As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is hereby giving notice that the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) will be holding a public meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing. Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) opportunities are also available.

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 Cancer Institute (NCI), 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: California Health Interview Survey Cancer Control Module (CHIS-CCM) 2009. Type of Information Collection Request: New. Need and Use of Information Collection: The NCI has sponsored four Cancer Control Modules in the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), and will be sponsoring a fifth to be administered in 2009. CHIS is a telephone survey that collects population-based, standardized health-related data to assess California's progress in meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives for the nation and the state. The CHIS sample is designed to provide statistically reliable estimates statewide, for California counties, and for California's ethnically and racially diverse population. Initiated by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the California Department of Health Services, and the California Public Health Institute, the survey is funded by a number of public and private sources. It was first administered in 2001 to 55,428 adults and subsequently in 2003 to 42,043 adults, in 2005 to 43,020 adults, and in 2007 to 48,150 adults. These adults are a representative sample of California's non-institutionalized population living in households. CHIS 2009, the fifth bi-annual survey, is planned for administration to 55,000 adult Californians. This study will allow NCI to examine patterns and trends in cancer screening and follow-up, as well as to study other cancer-related topics such as tobacco control, diet, physical activity, and obesity. Additionally, CHIS is designed to be comparable to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data in order to conduct comparative analyses. CHIS provides enhanced estimates for cancer risk factors and screening among racial/ethnic minority populations. Frequency of Response: Once. Affected public: Individuals or households. Types of Respondents: U.S. adults and adolescents (persons 12 years of age and older). The total annual burden hours requested are 3,276.94 (see Table A). The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: $55,071.88. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs, and/or Maintenance Costs to report.

This rule proposes to adopt updated versions of the standards for electronic transactions originally adopted in the regulations entitled, ``Health Insurance Reform: Standards for Electronic Transactions,'' published in the Federal Register on August 17, 2000, which implemented some of the requirements of the Administrative Simplification subtitle of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). These standards were modified in our rule entitled, ``Health Insurance Reform: Modifications to Electronic Data Transaction Standards and Code Sets,'' published in the Federal Register on February 20, 2003. This rule also proposes the adoption of a transaction standard for Medicaid Pharmacy Subrogation. In addition, this rule proposes to adopt two standards for billing retail pharmacy supplies and professional services, and to clarify who the ``senders'' and ``receivers'' are in the descriptions of certain transactions.

This notice announces three hospitals' requests for a waiver from entering into an agreement with their designated Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), in accordance with section 1138(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (the Act). This notice requests comments from OPOs and the general public for our consideration in determining whether we should grant the requested waivers.

This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection project: ``AHRQ Healthcare Innovations Exchange Innovator Interview and AHRQ Healthcare Innovations Exchange Innovator E-mail Submission Guidelines.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on May 23, 2008 entitled ``Provider Reimbursement Determinations and Appeals.''

Under the provisions of Section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on June 10, 2008 (Vol. 73, No. 112, p. 32717) and allowed 60-days for public comment. There were no public comments received during this time. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The National Institutes of Health may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Proposed Collection: Title: NIH-American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) Comprehensive Lifestyle Interview by Computer (CLIC) Study. Type of Information Collection Request: New. Need and Use of Information Collection: The Nutritional Epidemiology Branch of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics of the National Cancer Institute has planned this study to evaluate the feasibility of using these three new computerized questionnaires as well as the Diet and Health Questionnaire (DHQ), a well-established food frequency questionnaire in a population of early-to-late-middle-aged men and women. Participants will be asked to complete one of four different series (pathways) of computerized questionnaires over a 90 day period, with some questionnaires in a series being completed twice. This evaluation study comprises the necessary performance and feasibility tests for the new computerized questionnaires, which will provide an opportunity to assess the possibility of administering computerized questionnaires in future large prospective cohort studies. The computerized questionnaires will support the ongoing examination between cancer and other health outcomes with nutritional, physical activity, and lifestyle exposures. The computerized questionnaires adhere to The Public Health Service Act, Section 412 (42 U.S.C. 285a-1) and Section 413 (42 U.S.C. 285a-2), which authorizes the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to establish and support programs for the detection, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancer; and to collect, identify, analyze and disseminate information on cancer research, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Frequency of Response: Either 2 or 4 times, depending on the pathway. Affected Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: U.S. adults (aged 50 and over). The annual reporting burden is displayed in the table below. The estimated total annual burden hours being requested is 2616. The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: $46,242. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs, and/or Maintenance Costs to report.

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) is seeking sponsors interested in participating in a pilot project to test the submission and processing of clinical study data provided electronically in a standardized format. This pilot will test the data extract, validation, and load procedures developed to populate ``Janus,'' the study data repository component of a common, standards- based infrastructure that is being developed jointly by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to support the exchange of clinical research data. The pilot also will test a new XML (extensible markup language)-based submission format for standardized clinical study data. We anticipate that a successful pilot will enable CDER to routinely receive, process, and store all standardized clinical study data in a data warehouse environment that will enhance the center's capability to manage and review standardized study data.

In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which requires 30 days for public comment on proposed information collection projects, the Indian Health Service (IHS) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This proposed information collection project was previously published in the Federal Register (73 FR 23254) on April 29, 2008 and allowed 60 days for public comment. No public comment was received in response to the notice. The purpose of this notice is to allow 30 days for public comment to be submitted directly to OMB. Proposed Collection: Title: 0917-NEW, ``Behavioral Health Preventative Care Assessment Focus Group.'' Type of Information Collection Request: Three year approval for this new information collection, 0917-NEW, ``Behavioral Health Preventive Care Assessment Focus Group Guide.'' Form Number(s): None. Need and Use of Information Collection: The IHS goal is to raise the health status of the American Indian and Alaska Native people to the highest possible level by providing comprehensive health care and preventive health services. To support the IHS mission, IHS uses the Government Performance Act (GPRA) to assess quality of care among its Federal, urban, and Tribal health programs. The IHS has been largely successful in meeting GPRA targets for selected clinical performance measures at the national level. However, there is significant variability in performance among IHS and Tribal service units. Until this time, IHS has not undertaken any comprehensive studies to evaluate the reasons for that variability or the factors that contribute to high quality care at the local level. The IHS has three GPRA measures relating to behavioral health, a high priority for the Agency and one of the IHS Director's Initiatives. This study will focus on these three GPRA behavioral health measures: Depression Screening in adults age 18 and over, Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence screening in women ages 15-40 and Alcohol Screening (to prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) in women ages 15-44. Tribal programs voluntarily report their GPRA results quarterly and annually for national reporting. GPRA data collected for these three behavioral health measures includes: The number of patients eligible for a screening (denominator), number of eligible patients who receive a screening (numerator), and the resulting screening rate (percentage). IHS has developed methodology to identify superior and poor performers on these measures in both Tribal and Federal sites using fiscal year 2005, 2006, and 2007 GPRA performance results. IHS will convene focus groups with employees at 17 of these programs (7 IHS and 10 Tribal) in order to identify the factors contributing to (and when appropriate, the barriers preventing) the provision of high quality behavioral health care at the local level. These focus groups will allow employees to provide detailed data regarding program practices, screening and documentation procedures, initiatives, resources, and other factors relating to the provision of behavioral health preventive care at their health program. A total of two to three focus groups, organized by occupational specialty, will be convened at each program. Using the Chronic Care Model and Institute of Medicine recommendations, IHS will analyze the information collected during these site visits, along with background information that is publicly available (e.g., information found on clinic Web pages) on other qualitative and quantitative features of individual programs, such as staffing and funding levels, community demographics, and organizational structure, to develop a behavioral health preventive care model relevant to the unique system of IHS delivery. Affected Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: Tribal employees at Tribal health programs. The table below provides: Types of data collection instruments, Estimated number of respondents, Number of responses per respondent, Number of total annual responses, Average burden hour per response, and Total annual burden hour(s).

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the fifth in a series of federal advisory committee meetings regarding the national health promotion and disease prevention objectives for 2020 to be held in Washington, DC. This meeting will be open to the public. The Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 will review the nation's health promotion and disease prevention objectives and efforts to develop goals and objectives to improve the health status and reduce health risks for Americans by the year 2020. The Committee will provide to the Secretary of Health and Human Services advice and consultation for developing and implementing the next iteration of national health promotion and disease prevention goals and objectives and provide recommendations for initiatives to occur during the initial implementation phase of the goals and objectives. HHS will use the recommendations to inform the development of the national health promotion and disease prevention objectives for 2020 and the process for implementing the objectives. The intent is to develop and launch objectives designed to improve the health status and reduce health risks for Americans by the year 2020.

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

Under the provisions of Section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2008, Volume 73, Number 110, Page 32338 and allowed 60 days for public comment. In response to the notice, there were no public comments received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The National Institutes of Health may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Proposed Collection: Title: Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO). Type of Information Collection Request: REVISION (OMB : 0925-0407, current expiry date 10/31/2008). Need and Use of Information Collection: This trial is designed to determine if screening for prostate, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer can reduce mortality from these cancers which currently cause an estimated 254,900 deaths annually in the U.S. The design is a two-armed randomized trial of men and women aged 55 to 74 at entry. OMB first approved this study in 1993 and has approved it every 3 years since then through 2008. During the first approval period a pilot study was conducted to evaluate recruitment methods and data collection procedures. Recruitment was completed in 2001 and data collection continues through 2008. When participants enrolled in the trial they agreed to be followed for at least 13 years from the time of enrollment. The current number of respondents in the study is 136, 341; this is down from the total initially due to deaths. The primary endpoint of the trial is cancer-specific mortality for each of the four cancer sites (prostate, lung, colorectum, and ovary). In addition, cancer incidence, stage shift, and case survival are to be monitored to help understand and explain results. Biologic prognostic characteristics of the cancers will be measured and correlated with mortality to determine the mortality predictive value of these intermediate endpoints. Basic demographic data, risk factor data for the four cancer sites and screening history data, as collected from all subjects at baseline, will be used to assure comparability between the screening and control groups and make appropriate adjustments in analysis. Further, demographic and risk factor information may be used to analyze the differential effectiveness of screening in high versus low risk individuals. Frequency of Response: Annually. Affected Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: Adult men and women. The estimated total annual burden hours requested is 11,401. The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at $219,919 per year, for a total of $659,756 over the proposed three year renewal. There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating or Maintenance Costs to report.

This rule amends our regulations, which provide for service of process on the Department of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or other employees of the Department in their official capacities. The purpose of this amendment is to expand the number of people who can be served process on behalf of the Department.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) gives notice as required by 42 CFR 83.12(e) of a decision to evaluate a petition to designate a class of employees for the Connecticut Aircraft Nuclear Engine Laboratory, Middletown, Connecticut, to be included in the Special Exposure Cohort under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. The initial proposed definition for the class being evaluated, subject to revision as warranted by the evaluation, is as follows: Facility: Connecticut Aircraft Nuclear Engine Laboratory. Location: Middletown, Connecticut. Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All employees. Period of Employment: January 1958 through December 1960.

AHRQ is establishing a new research portfolio, the Innovations Portfolio. The Portfolio goal is to identify and support research that has the potential to accelerate improvements in the organization, delivery, and management of healthcare. AHRQ seeks ideas on priority topics and activities that should be addressed as components of the Innovations Portfolio.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of July 17, 2008 (73 FR 40967). The final rule reclassified bone sonometer devices from class III into class II, subject to special controls. The document contained an inadvertent error regarding the impact of the final rule on small businesses. This document corrects that error.

As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is hereby giving notice that the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) will be holding a public teleconference. The meeting is open to the public.

This notice announces the opportunity for public and private- sector organizations to act as potential cosponsors for a 2-day conference that we are sponsoring to educate stakeholders about the new e-prescribing initiative as described in section 132 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.