Notice2026-03100
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 18, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7488-7490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03100]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30Day-26-0573]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information
collection request titled ``National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS)''
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.
CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection Submitted for
Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on September 30, 2025 to
obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC received 83
comments in response to the previous notice. This notice serves to
allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency comments.
CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly
interested in comments that:
(a) 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;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected;
(d) 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 technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses; and
(e) Assess information collection costs.
To request additional information on the proposed project or to
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call
(404) 639-7570. Comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Direct
written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in
this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management
and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202)
395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice
publication.
Proposed Project
National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS) (OMB Control No. 0920-0573,
Exp. 2/28/2026)--Extension--National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis,
STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
CDC is authorized under Sections 304 and 306 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242b and 242k) to collect information on cases
of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and indicators of HIV disease and
HIV disease progression including AIDS. Data collected as part of the
National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS) are the primary data used to
monitor the extent and characteristics of the HIV burden in the United
States. HIV surveillance data are used to describe trends in HIV
diagnoses, incidence, prevalence and characteristics of persons living
with diagnosed HIV infection and used widely at the federal, state, and
local levels for planning and evaluating prevention programs and
health-care services, allocating funding for prevention and care, and
monitoring progress toward achieving national prevention goals. NHSS
data collection activities are currently supported through cooperative
agreements with health departments under CDC Notice of Funding
Opportunity PS24-0047: High-Impact HIV Prevention and Surveillance
Programs for Health Departments CDC-RFA-PS-24-0047 and Accelerating the
[[Page 7489]]
Prevention and Control of HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, and TB in the
U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands CDC-RFA-PS23-2302. The activities
funded under these announcements promote and support improving health
outcomes for persons living with HIV through achieving and sustaining
viral suppression, and reducing health-related disparities by using
quality, timely, and complete surveillance, and program data to guide
HIV prevention efforts toward reducing new HIV infections and ending
HIV in the United States.
The Division of HIV Prevention (DHP), National Center for HIV,
Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), CDC in collaboration
with health departments in the states, the District of Columbia, and
U.S. territories and freely associated states, conducts national
surveillance for cases of HIV infection that includes critical data
reported across the spectrum of HIV disease stages from HIV diagnosis
to death. The systematic data collection provides the essential data
used to calculate population-based HIV case counts, HIV incidence
estimates, describe the geographic distribution of disease, monitor HIV
transmission and drug resistance patterns and genetic diversity of HIV
virus among infected persons, detect and respond to HIV clusters of
recent and rapid transmission, and monitor perinatal exposures. NHSS
data are also used locally to identify persons with HIV who are not in
medical care and linking them to care and needed services. NHSS data
continue to be collected, maintained, and reported using standard case
definitions, report forms and software. The system is periodically
updated as needed to keep pace with changes in testing technology and
advances in HIV care and treatment, as well as changing prevention
program monitoring and evaluation needs.
CDC receives adult and pediatric HIV case reports from 59 areas.
Additional information on perinatal exposures is also reported in a
subset of jurisdictions when reportable using the same pediatric case
report form used to monitor progress toward perinatal HIV elimination
goals. Health department staff compile information from laboratories,
physicians, hospitals, clinics, and other health care providers to
complete the HIV adult and pediatric case reports. CDC estimates that
approximately 789 adult HIV case reports and 57 perinatal exposure and
pediatric case reports are processed by each health department
annually.
These data are recorded using standard case report forms either on
paper or electronically and entered into the electronic reporting
system. Updates to case reports are also entered into the reporting
system by health departments as additional information may be received
from laboratories, vital statistics, or additional providers.
Evaluations are also conducted by health departments on a subset of
case reports (e.g., re-abstraction, validation). CDC estimates that on
average approximately 85 evaluations of case reports, 2519 updates to
case reports and 10130 updates of electronic laboratory test data will
be processed by each of the 59 health departments annually. In
addition, 59 health departments will conduct routine deduplication
activities for new diagnoses and cumulative case reports. CDC estimates
that health departments on average will follow up on 3032 reports as
part of deduplication activities annually. Case report information
compiled over time by health departments is then de-identified and
forwarded to CDC monthly to become part of the national HIV
surveillance database.
Additional information will be reported by health departments for
monitoring and evaluation of health department investigations including
activities identifying persons who are not in HIV medical care and
linking them to HIV medical care (e.g., Data-to-Care activities) and
other services and identifying and responding to clusters. CDC
estimates health departments will on average process 929 responses
related to investigation reporting and monitoring annually.
Clusters of HIV are groups of persons related by recent, rapid
transmission, for which rapid response is needed to intervene and
interrupt ongoing transmission and prevent future HIV infections.
Health departments may detect clusters through multiple means,
including through routine analyses of Surveillance data and other data
reported to the NHSS. Summary data on clusters of recent and rapid HIV
transmission in the United States are collected to monitor situations
necessitating public health intervention, assess health department
response, and evaluate outcomes of intervention activities. Health
departments complete an Initial Cluster Report Form when a cluster is
first identified, a Follow-up Cluster Report Form each quarter when
response activities are ongoing, and an Annual/Closeout Cluster Report
Form depending on the state of cluster response. CDC estimates on
average health departments will provide information for 2.5 Initial
Cluster Report Forms, five Follow-up Cluster Report Forms, and 2.5
Annual/Closeout Cluster Report Forms annually.
The Standards Evaluation Report (SER) is used by CDC and Health
Departments to improve data quality, interpretation, usefulness, and
surveillance system efficiency, as well as to monitor progress toward
meeting surveillance program objectives. The information collected for
the SER includes a brief set of questions about evaluation outcomes and
the collection of laboratory data that will be reported once a year by
each of the 59 health departments.
There are no revisions to data collection or changes in burden
requested in this Extension. CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated
60,731 annualized burden hours. There is no cost to respondents other
than their time to participate.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
Number of Number of burden per
Type of respondent Form name respondents responses per response
respondent (in hours)
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Health Departments...................... Adult HIV Case Report 59 789 20/60
(ACRF).
Health Departments...................... Perinatal Exposure and 59 57 35/60
Pediatric HIV Case Report
(PCRF).
Health Departments...................... Case Report Evaluations.... 59 85 20/60
Health Departments...................... Case Report Updates........ 59 2519 2/60
Health Departments...................... Laboratory Updates......... 59 10130 0.5/60
Health Departments...................... Deduplication Activities... 59 3032 10/60
Health Departments...................... Investigation Reporting and 59 929 1/60
Evaluation.
[[Page 7490]]
Health Departments...................... Initial Cluster Report Form 59 2.5 1
Health Departments...................... Follow-up Cluster Report 59 5.0 30/60
Form.
Health Departments...................... Annual/Closeout Cluster 59 2.5 1
Report Form.
Health Departments...................... Annual Reporting: Standards 59 1.0 8
Evaluation Report (SER).
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2026-03100 Filed 2-17-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
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