9338 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 34 / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / Notices 

Description Amount 

Personnel and Support Staff .... $7,500 

Consultant (sub-contractor) 

services ................................. 0 

Equipment ................................. 0 

Supplies .................................... 0 

All other expenses .................... 0 

Average Annual Cost ........ 7,500 

b. OCR 

OCR cannot conduct its work without 

collecting information through its 

proposed complaint forms. Even if OCR 

did not use complaint forms and only 

took information orally, it would still 

have to capture the same information in 

order to begin processing a complaint. 

Therefore, the incremental cost to OCR 

of processing the information collected 

from the complaint form is minimal and 

is equivalent to only approximately 0.05 

FTE or $7,500 per year, with virtually 

no new overhead costs. 

Description Amount 

Personnel and Support Staff .... $7,500 

Consultant (sub-contractor) 

services ................................. 0 

Equipment ................................. 0 

Supplies .................................... 0 

All other expenses .................... 0 

Average Annual Cost ........ 7,500 

Request for Comments 

In accordance with the above-cited 

Paperwork Reduction Act legislation, 

comments on the above-described 

AHRQ and OCR information collection 

to implement the Patient Safety Act are 

requested with regard to any of the 

following: (a) Whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of AHRQ 

health care research, quality 

improvement and information 

dissemination functions, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of 

AHRQ’s estimate of burden (including 

hours and costs) of the proposed 

collection(s) of information; (c) ways to 

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 

of the information to be collected; and 

(d) ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information upon the 

respondents, including the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and 

included in the Agency’s subsequent 

request for OMB approval of the 

proposed information collection. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. 

Dated: February 13, 2008. 

Carolyn M. Clancy, 

Director, AHRQ. 

[FR Doc. 08–757 Filed 2–19–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Agency for Healthcare Research and 

Quality 

Solicitation for Nominations for New 

Clinical Preventive Health Topics To 

Be Considered for Review by the 

United States Preventive Services Task 

Force 

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research 

Quality (AHRQ), DHHS. 

ACTION: Solicit for new topic 

nominations. 

SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites 

individuals and organizations to 

nominate primary and secondary 

prevention topics pertaining to clinical 

preventive services that they would like 

the United States Preventive Services 

Task Force (USPSTF) to consider for 

review. All topics previously reviewed 

by the USPSTF are available on AHRQ’s 

Web site, http:// 

www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov. 

The USPSTF is an independent panel 

of experts that makes evidence-based 

recommendations regarding the 

provision of clinical preventive services. 

Clinical preventive services include 

screening, counseling and preventive 

medications associated with primary 

care. The USPSTF makes 

recommendations about preventive 

services for asymptomatic people—

people without recognized signs or 

symptoms of the specific conditions 

targeted by the preventive service. 

Topics can be nominated by 

individuals, organizations, evidencebased practice centers (EPC) and 

USPSTF members. The USPSTF will 

consider nominations in two steps. The 

USPSTF will first determine if the 

service is eligible, i.e., constitutes 

primary or secondary prevention 

applicable to healthy asymptomatic 

persons; is primary care feasible or 

referable from primary care; and 

addresses a condition with a substantial 

health burden. As a second step, within 

eligible topics, the USPSTF will 

prioritize based on the following set of 

criteria: public health importance 

(burden of suffering, potential of 

preventive service to reduce the 

burden); and potential for greatest Task 

Force impact (e.g., clinical controversy, 

practice does not reflect evidence, 

inappropriate timing in delivery of 

services). 

Basic Topic Nomination Requirements 

Nominations must be no more than 

500 words in length and must include 

the information listed below. 

Nominations may include supporting 

documentation; reference lists and other 

supporting documents are not counted 

against the 500 word limit, but should 

not exceed ten pages. 

Required information: 

1. Name of topic. 

2. Rationale for consideration by the 

USPSTF, describing: 

a. Characterization as primary or 

secondary prevention topic (screening, 

counseling or preventive medication). 

b. Primary care relevance (applicable 

clinical preventive service must be 

provided by a primary care provider or 

initiated in the primary care setting 

which can be defined as family practice, 

internal medicine, pediatrics or 

obstetrics/gynecology). 

c. Public health importance (burden 

of disease/suffering, potential of 

preventive service to reduce burden, 

including effective interventions). 

Citations and supporting documents are 

recommended. 

d. Potential impact of USPSTF’s 

review of the topic, i.e., change in 

clinical practice, research focus, etc. 

DATES: Topic nominations should be 

submitted by March 21, 2008 in order to 

be considered for 2008–2010. AHRQ 

will not reply to submissions in 

response to the request for nominations, 

but will consider all topic nominations 

during the selection process. If a topic 

is selected for review by the USPSTF, 

the nominator will be notified by 

AHRQ. 

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations 

to: Gloria Washington, ATTN: USPSTF 

Topic Nominations, Center for Primary 

Care, Prevention & Clinical 

Partnerships, Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality, 540 Gaither Road, 

Rockville, MD 20850, Fax: 

301.427.1595, E-mail: 

gloria.washington@ahrq.hhs.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Therese Miller at 

therese.miller@ahrq.hhs.gov or Gloria 

Washington at 

gloria.washington@ahrq.hhs.gov. 

Arrangement for Public Inspection: 

All nominations will be available for 

public inspections by appointment at 

the Center for Primary Care, Prevention 

& Clinical Partnerships, 301.427.1500, 

weekdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

(Eastern time). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 34 / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / Notices 9339 

Background 

Under Title IX of the Public Health 

Service Act, AHRQ is charged with 

enhancing the quality, appropriateness 

and effectiveness of health care services 

and access to such services. AHRQ 

accomplishes these goals through 

scientific research and promotion of 

improvements in clinical practice, 

including prevention of diseases and 

other health conditions and 

improvements in the organization, 

financing and delivery of health care 

services. 42 U.S.C. 299–299c–7. 

The United States Preventive Services 

Task Force (USPSTF) is an independent 

expert panel, first established in 1984 

under the auspices of the U.S. Public 

Health Service. Under AHRQ’s 

authorizing legislation noted above, 

specifically 42 U.S.C. 299b–4(a)(1), the 

Director of AHRQ is responsible for 

convening the USPSTF which is to be 

composed of individuals with 

appropriate expertise. The mission of 

the Task Force is to evaluate rigorously 

the effectiveness of critical preventive 

services and to formulate 

recommendations for primary care 

clinicians regarding the appropriate 

provision of preventive services. 

Current Task Force recommendations 

and associated evidence reviews are 

available at http:// 

www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov. 

Topic Nomination Solicitation 

The purpose of this solicitation for 

new topics by AHRQ and the USPSTF 

is to create a balanced portfolio of 

relevant topics for the current Task 

Force library. Balance in the library is 

sought on the basis of populations, 

types of services (screening, counseling, 

preventive medications) and disease 

types (cancer; heart and vascular 

disease; injury and violence-related 

disorders; infectious diseases; mental 

disorders and substance abuse; 

metabolic, nutritional and endocrine 

diseases; musculoskeletal conditions; 

obstetric and gynecological conditions; 

endocrine diseases; musculoskeletal 

conditions; obstetric and gynecological 

conditions; pediatric disorders; and 

vision and hearing disorders). Selection 

of suggested topics will be made on the 

basis of the qualifications of 

nominations as outlined above (see 

basic topic nomination requirements). 

Dated: February 6, 2008. 

Carolyn M. Clancy, 

Director. 

[FR Doc. 08–738 Filed 2–19–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

[60Day–08–0138] 

Proposed Data Collections Submitted 

for Public Comment and 

Recommendations 

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 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic 

summaries of proposed projects. To 

request more information on the 

proposed projects or to obtain a copy of 

the data collection plans and 

instruments, call 404–639–5960 or send 

comments to Maryam Daneshvar, CDC 

Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 

1600 Clifton Road, MS–D74, Atlanta, 

GA 30333 or send an e-mail to 

omb@cdc.gov. 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information shall have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including through the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. Written comments should 

be received within 60 days of this 

notice. 

Proposed Project 

Pulmonary Function Testing Course 

Approval Program, 29 CFR 1910.1043 

(OMB No. 0920–0138)—

Reinstatement—The National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention (CDC). 

Background 

NIOSH has the responsibility under 

the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration’s Cotton Dust Standard, 

29 CFR 1920.1043, for approving 

courses to train technicians to perform 

pulmonary function testing in the cotton 

industry. Successful completion of a 

NIOSH-approved course is mandatory 

under the Standard. To carry out its 

responsibility, NIOSH maintains a 

Pulmonary Function Testing Course 

Approval Program. The program 

consists of an application submitted by 

potential sponsors (universities, 

hospitals, and private consulting firms) 

who seek NIOSH approval to conduct 

courses, and if approved, notification to 

NIOSH of any course or faculty changes 

during the approval period, which is 

limited to five years. The application 

form and added materials, including an 

agenda, curriculum vitae, and course 

materials are reviewed by NIOSH to 

determine if the applicant has 

developed a program which adheres to 

the criteria required in the Standard. 

Following approval, any subsequent 

changes to the course are submitted by 

course sponsors via letter or e-mail and 

reviewed by NIOSH staff to assure that 

the changes in faculty or course content 

continue to meet course requirements. 

Course sponsors also voluntarily submit 

an annual report to inform NIOSH of 

their class activity level and any faculty 

changes. Sponsors who elect to have 

their approval renewed for an additional 

5 year period submit a renewal 

application and supporting 

documentation for review by NIOSH 

staff to ensure the course curriculum 

meets all current standard requirements. 

Approved courses that elect to offer 

NIOSH-Approved Spirometry Refresher 

Courses must submit a separate 

application and supporting documents 

for review by NIOSH staff. Institutions 

and organizations throughout the 

country voluntarily submit applications 

and materials to become course 

sponsors and carry out training. 

Submissions are required for NIOSH to 

evaluate a course and determine 

whether it meets the criteria in the 

Standard and whether technicians will 

be adequately trained as mandated 

under the Standard. There will be no 

cost to respondents other than their 

time. 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES