Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,
[Federal Register: May 3, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 84)]
[Notices]
[Page 22885-22886]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03my05-63]
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. 2005N-0029]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Infant Formula Recall Regulations
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 June 2, 2005.
ADDRESSES: 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 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 Recall Regulations--21 CFR 107.230, 107.240, 107.250, 107.260, 107.280 (OMB Control Number 0910-0188)--Extension
Section 412(e) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) (21 U.S.C. 350a(e)) provides that if the manufacturer of an infant formula has knowledge that reasonably supports the conclusion that an infant formula processed by that manufacturer has left its control and may not provide the nutrients required in section 412(i) of the act or is otherwise adulterated or misbranded, the manufacturer must promptly notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary). If the Secretary determines that the infant formula presents a risk to human health, the manufacturer must immediately take all actions necessary to recall shipments of such infant formula from all wholesale and retail establishments, consistent with recall regulations and guidelines issued by the Secretary. Section 412(f)(2) of the act states that the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe the scope and extent of recalls of infant formula necessary and appropriate for the degree of risk to human health presented by the formula subject to recall. FDA's infant formula recall regulations (part 107 (21 CFR part 107), subpart E) implement these statutory provisions.
Section 107.230 requires each recalling firm to conduct an infant formula recall with the following elements: (1) Evaluate the hazard to human health, (2) devise a written recall strategy, (3) promptly notify each affected direct account (customer) about the recall, and (4) furnish the appropriate FDA district office with copies of these documents. If the recalled formula presents a risk to human health, the recalling firm must also request that each establishment that sells the recalled formula post (at point of purchase) a notice of the recall and provide FDA with a copy of the notice. Section 107.240 requires the recalling firm to conduct an infant formula recall with the following elements: (1) Notify the appropriate FDA district office of the recall by telephone within 24 hours, (2) submit a written report to that office within 14 days, and (3) submit a written status report at least every 14 days until the recall is terminated. Before terminating a recall, the recalling firm is required to submit a recommendation for termination of the recall to the appropriate FDA district office and wait for written FDA concurrence (Sec. 107.250). Where the recall strategy or implementation is determined to be deficient, FDA may require the firm to change the extent of the recall, carry out additional effectiveness checks, and issue additional notifications (Sec. 107.260). In addition, to facilitate location of the product being recalled, the recalling firm is required to maintain distribution records for at least 1 year after the expiration of the shelf life of the infant formula (Sec. 107.280).
The reporting and recordkeeping requirements described previously are designed to enable FDA to monitor the effectiveness of infant formula recalls in order to protect babies from infant formula that may be unsafe because of contamination or nutritional inadequacy or otherwise adulterated or misbranded. FDA uses the information collected under these regulations to help ensure that such products are quickly and efficiently removed from the market.
In the Federal Register of February 1, 2005 (70 FR 5188), FDA published a 60-day notice requesting public comment on the information collection provisions. No comments were received.
FDA estimates the burden of the collection of information as follows:
Table 1.--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden\1\
No. of
Annual Frequency Total Annual
Hours per 21 CFR section Respondents
per Response
Responses
Response
Total Hours
107.230
2
1
2
4,500
9,000
107.240
2
1
2
1,482
2,964
107.250
2
1
2
120
240
107.260
1
1
1
650
650
Total
12,854
\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.
[[Page 22886]]
Under 5 CFR 1320.3(b)(2), the time, effort, and financial resources necessary to comply with a collection of information are excluded from the burden estimate if the reporting, recordkeeping, or disclosure activities needed to comply are usual and customary because they would occur in the normal course of activities. No burden has been estimated for the recordkeeping requirement in Sec. 107.280 because these records are maintained as a usual and customary part of normal business activities. Manufacturers keep infant formula distribution records for the prescribed period as a matter of routine business practice.
The reporting burden estimate is based on agency records, which show that there are five manufacturers of infant formula and that there have been, on average, two infant formula recalls per year for the past 3 years.
Dated: April 26, 2005. Jeffrey Shuren, Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 05-8766 Filed 5-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S
