Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Infant Formula Requirements

AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

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.

DATES:

Fax written comments on the collection of information by February 12, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is still experiencing significant delays in the regular mail, including first class and express mail, and messenger deliveries are not being accepted. To ensure that comments on the information collection are received, OMB recommends that written comments be faxed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attn: Fumie Yokota, Desk Officer for FDA, FAX: 202-395-6974.

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:

In compliance with 44 U.S.C. 3507, FDA has submitted the following proposed collection of information to OMB for review and clearance.

Infant Formula Requirements—21 CFR Parts 106 and 107 (OMB Control Number 0910-0256)—Extension

Statutory requirements for infant formula under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) are intended to protect the health of infants and include a number of reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Among other things, section 412 of the act (21 U.S.C. 350a) requires manufacturers of infant formula to establish and adhere to quality control procedures, notify FDA when a batch of infant formula that has left the manufacturers' control may be adulterated or misbranded, and keep records of distribution. FDA has issued regulations to implement the act's requirements for infant formula in 21 CFR part 106 and part 107 (21 CFR part 107). FDA also regulates the labeling of infant formula under the authority of section 403 of the act (21 U.S.C. 343). Under the labeling regulations for infant formula in part 107, the label of an infant formula must include nutrient information and directions for use. The purpose of these labeling requirements is to ensure that consumers have the information they need to prepare and use infant formula appropriately. In a notice of proposed rulemaking that published in the Federal Register of July 9, 1996 (61 FR 36154), FDA proposed changes in the infant formula regulations, including some of those listed in tables 1 and 2 of this document. The document included revised burden estimates for the proposed changes and solicited public comment. In the interim, however, FDA is seeking an extension of OMB approval for the current regulations so that it can continue to collect information while the proposal is pending.

In the Federal Register of October 17, 2003 (68 FR 59793) FDA published a 60-day notice requesting public comment on the information collection provisions. No comments were received.

FDA estimates the burden for this collection of information as follows:

In compiling these estimates, FDA consulted its records of the number of infant formula submissions received in the past. The figures for hours per response are based on estimates from experienced persons in the agency and in industry.