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 Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
 SUMMARY: 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 Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. *Proposed Collection: Title:*
                         Evaluation of Risk Factors Associated with Viral Infections in Chinese Donors: a. Risk factors associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), b. Risk factors associated with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This collection will cover two protocols as stated in the title. The first protocol will aim to study risk factors associated with HIV in Chinese donors and the second protocol will study risk factors related to HBV and HCV in Chinese donors. 
                        *Type of Information Collection Request:*
                         NEW. 
                        *Need and Use of Information Collection:*
                         Understanding the risk factors associated with HIV, HBV and HCV infections in donors is essential for developing donor behavioral screening policies. Injection drug use, sexual transmissions, transfusion history, and medical injections are thought to be major routes of transmission in China but their relative importance in blood donors is unknown. In the U.S., risk factors have been better characterized but, questions still remain. Risk factors cannot be identified in 33% and 40% of persons with acute hepatitis B and C respectively, and risk factors may differ between the U.S. and China. This study will improve our understanding of potential transfusion transmitted viral risk factors that cannot be optimally studied in the U.S. because of their low prevalence. For example, we may be able to assess whether treatments commonly used in China, such as acupuncture and medical injections, are important routes of HBV and HCV transmission. The primary objectives of the proposed study are to assess: The primary risk factors associated with HIV, HBV and HCV.
                    The relative importance of injection drug use, heterosexual transmission, family history, transfusion history, history of previous whole blood or plasma donation, male to male sex, medical injections, acupuncture, and tattoos as routes of transmission for HIV, HBV and HCV.
                    Other important routes of transmission for these viruses such as sex with an injection drug user, snorting drugs, living with someone who has HBV and HCV, living with someone who injects drugs, sharing a toothbrush or a razor, having been in jail, occupational history, having surgery, etc. It is proposed to conduct a large, multi blood center case-control study to meet the study objectives. Cases for the HIV protocol will be donors with confirmed anti-HIV antibody reactivity. Blood Centers will select a random group of donors with negative infectious disease test results as Controls for this study. Controls will be enrolled with a 2:1 ratio to Cases and will be matched to the Cases by blood center and donation month. Blood Centers will contact potential Controls by phone and/or mail, inviting them to come back to participate in this study. Cases and Controls will be consented and interviewed using the same Risk Factor Questionnaire (RFQ) by Chinese-CDC (C–CDC) or blood center staff, either at the local C–CDC or blood center. The second protocol assessing risk factors related to HBV and HCV will have three groups of donors: “HBV Group”: HBV (HBsAg) positive donors either from prescreening (rapid testing) or routine screening testing. Confirmatory testing for HBV will be done for these donors. “HCV Group”: HCV (anti-HCV) positive donors from routine screening testing (blood centers do not do prescreening rapid testing for anti-HCV). Confirmatory testing for HCV will be done for these donors. The third group will be a “Control Group” including donors with negative results for all prescreening and routine screening tests. No additional testing is done for these donors. On a monthly basis, the blood centers will use the confirmatory testing results for HBV and HCV respectively, to generate a list of cases. For that same month, the blood center will generate a list of controls (randomly selected and matched by blood center and month of donation.) The same control group will be used for HBV and HCV cases. Donors in all three groups will be mailed a Risk Factor Survey study packet. The packet will include a study information sheet (discussing the purpose and nature of this study), an informed consent document explaining the voluntary nature, the benefits and risks of this study, a RFQ, a small monetary reward for taking the survey and an envelope with paid postage for the donor to mail their completed questionnaire back to the blood center. *Frequency of Response:*
                         Once. 
                        *Affected Public:*
                         Individuals. 
                        *Type of Respondents:*
                         Adult Blood Donors. The annual reporting burden is as follows: 
                        *Estimated Number of Respondents:*
                         3,920; 
                        *Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent:*
                         1; 
                        *Average Burden of Hours per Response:*
                         0.33; and 
                        *Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested:*
                         1,293.5. The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: $1,940.25 (based on $1.50 per hour). According to China's National Bureau of Statistics in 2006, the average annual wage in China is 21,001 Chinese Yuan (or $ 2,958 U.S. dollars based on current exchange rate of 1 U.S. dollar = 7.1). There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating or Maintenance Costs to report. Estimated number of respondents
Estimated number of 
                             responses per respondent
Average 
                             burden hours per response
Estimated total annual burden hours 
                             requestedHIV Risk factor:Case
350
0.33
115.5Control
700
0.33
231HBV and HCV Risk factor:Case
1,700
0.33
561Control
1,170
0.33
386Total
3,920
0.33
1,293.5
 
 
 *Request for Comments:*
                     Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and the assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact Dr. George Nemo, Project Officer, NHLBI, Two Rockledge Center, Room 10142, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7950, Bethesda, MD 20892–7950, or call 301–435–0075, or e-mail your request to 
                        *nemog@nih.gov*. *Comments Due Date:*
                         Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60 days of the date of this publication. Dated: July 23, 2008. George Nemo, Project Officer, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health.


[FR Doc. E8–17528 Filed 7–30–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140–01–P