Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Voluntary Registration of Cosmetic Product Establishments

AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

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 voluntary registration of cosmetic product establishments with FDA.

DATES:

Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of information by April 27, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments . Submit written comments on the collection of information to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. All comments should be identified with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peggy Robbins, Office of Management Programs (HFA-250), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-1223.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the 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. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.

With respect to the following collection of information, FDA invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

Voluntary Registration of Cosmetic Product Establishments—21 CFR Part 710 (OMB Control Number 0910-0027)—Extension

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) provides FDA with the responsibility for assuring consumers that cosmetic products in the United States are safe and properly labeled. Cosmetic products that are adulterated under section 601 of the act (21 U.S.C. 361) or misbranded under section 602 of the act (21 U.S.C. 362) may not be distributed in interstate commerce. To assist FDA in carrying out its responsibility to regulate cosmetics, FDA has developed the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP). In 21 CFR part 710, FDA requests that establishments that manufacture or package cosmetic products register with the agency on Form FDA 2511 entitled “Registration of Cosmetic Product Establishment.” Form FDA 2511 is available on FDA's VCRP Web site at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-regn.html .

Because registration of cosmetic product establishments is not mandatory, voluntary registration provides FDA with the best information available about the locations, business trade names, and types of activity (manufacturing or packaging) of cosmetic product establishments. FDA places the registration information in a computer database and uses the information to generate mailing lists for distributing regulatory information and for inviting firms to participate in workshops on topics in which they may be interested. FDA also uses the information for estimating the size of the cosmetic industry and for conducting onsite establishment inspections. Registration is permanent, although FDA requests that respondents submit an amended Form FDA 2511 if any of the originally submitted information changes.

FDA estimates the burden of this information collection as follows:

The VCRP was suspended during fiscal year (FY) 1998 due to a lack of budgetary funding and was reinstated at the beginning of FY 1999. The estimated hour burden for this information collection is 30 percent of the previous level reported in 2000. In general, the larger cosmetic companies have resumed participating in the VCRP, whereas the smaller companies are lagging.