2020-16123. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection, eComments Requested; Extension Without Change of a Previously Approved Collection Dispensing Records of Individual Practitioners

AGENCY:

Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice.

ACTION:

60-day Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until September 22, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have comments on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact Scott A. Brinks, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement Administration; Mailing Address: 8701 Morrissette Drive, Springfield, Virginia 22152; Telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

—Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

—Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

—Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information proposed to be collected can be enhanced; and

—Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Overview of This Information Collection

1. Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved collection.

2. Title of the Form/Collection: Dispensing Records of Individual Practitioners.

3. The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection: No form number is associated with this collection. The applicable component within the Department of Justice is the Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Division.

4. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Affected public: Business or other for-profit.

Abstract: Pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 827(c), practitioners who regularly dispense or administer controlled substances to patients and charge them for the substances and those practitioners who administer controlled substances in the course of maintenance or detoxification treatment shall keep records of such activities, and accordingly must comply with the regulations on recordkeeping.

5. An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: The below table presents information regarding the number of respondents, responses and associated burden hours.

Activity	Number of annual respondents	Number of annual responses	Average annual time per response (hours)
Dispensing records of individual practitioners	62,392	62,392	.5
Recordkeeping requirements of collectors	9,941	9,941	.5
Total	72,333	72,333	N/A

6. An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the proposed collection: DEA estimates that this collection takes 36,167 annual burden hours.

If additional information is required please contact: Melody Braswell, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, Suite 3E.405B, Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: July 21, 2020.

Melody Braswell,

Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.