SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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. In addition, the PRA also requires federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a proposed data collection as described below.

The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:

1. 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;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

4. 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 submissions of responses; and

5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

National Disease Surveillance Program (OMB Control No. 0920-0009, Exp. 8/31/2022)—Revision—National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

Surveillance of the incidence and distribution of disease has been an important function of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) since an 1878 Act of Congress authorized the PHS to collect morbidity reports. After the Malaria Control in War Areas Program had fulfilled its original 1942 objective of reducing malaria transmission, its basic tenets were carried forward and broadened by the formation of the Communicable Disease Center (CDC) in 1946. CDC was conceived of as a well-equipped, broadly staffed agency used to translate facts about analysis of morbidity and mortality statistics on communicable diseases and through field investigations. It was soon recognized that control measures (such as the DDT spraying for malaria) did not alleviate the threat of disease reintroduction. In 1950, the Malaria Surveillance Program began and in 1952, the National Surveillance Program started. Both programs were based on the premise that diseases cannot be diagnosed, prevented, or controlled until existing knowledge is expanded and new ideas developed and implemented. The original scope of the National Surveillance Program included the study of malaria, murine typhus, smallpox, psittacosis, diphtheria, leprosy, and sylvatic plague. Over the years, the mandate of CDC has broadened in preventive health activities and the surveillance systems maintained have expanded.

The National Disease Surveillance Program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, Section 301 and 306 (42 U.S.C. 241 and 242K). This information collection activity covers surveillance activities for four, rare diseases: (1) Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), (2) Reye Syndrome, (3) Kawasaki Syndrome, and (4) Acute Flaccid Myelitis. Since the previous approval of 0920-0009, changes are being requested only to the Acute Flaccid Myelitis form. The total estimated burden requested by CDC has been reduced to 98, down 69 hours from the previous total of 167, and is adjusted to match actual, experienced burden more closely. There is no cost to respondents other than the time to participate.

87 FR 31237