FDA Probes Minds: Comment on Behavioral Health Data Collection
Published Date: 2/18/2026
Notice
Summary
The FDA is asking for approval to keep collecting information that helps them understand how people think and behave about health topics. This info guides their decisions and communications, affecting patients, healthcare pros, and consumers. Comments on this plan are open until March 20, 2026, with no new costs expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Research Covers Drug Safety and Misinformation
FDA will use these social and behavioral methods to study topics including nonmedical use of approved drugs; use of unapproved and falsified (counterfeit) drug products; use of botanical substances (e.g., cannabis-derived products); controlled substance prescribing decisions; bystander response to drug overdoses; and potentially false or misleading information about drug products. These studies are meant to gather perceptions and behaviors from specific target populations to inform whether further research or action is needed.
FDA Keeps Running Short Health Surveys
The FDA asked OMB to renew a data collection that supports about 25 social and behavioral studies per year. The collection estimates 126,770 responses annually at 0.25 hours (15 minutes) each, totaling 31,693 hours per year, an increase of 17,300 responses and 4,325 hours versus the prior estimate; patients, healthcare professionals, and consumers may be asked to take these short interviews or surveys.
No Respondent Monetary Costs Expected
FDA states there are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this information collection. The Agency does not expect respondents to incur monetary costs from participating in these surveys and interviews.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16296, Substances Generally Recognized as Safe
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is proposing to require the submission of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) notices for the use of a human or animal food substance purported to be GRAS under the conditions of its intended use under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
2026-14073, Drug Establishment Registration and Drug Listing Requirements for Establishments Engaged in Distributed Manufacturing and Certain Foreign Establishments
The FDA wants to make it easier for drug makers who work in several locations to register as one company instead of many. They’re also updating rules for foreign drug companies to match new laws about handling health threats. If you’re in drug manufacturing, get ready to comment by September 11, 2026, and keep an eye on possible paperwork changes that could affect your business.
2026-13047, Establishment Registration and Product Listing for Tobacco Products
The FDA wants to make sure all tobacco product makers, both in the U.S. and abroad, register their businesses and list their products. This new rule closes a big gap by including foreign companies, helping the FDA keep better track of tobacco products for public health. Comments on this proposal are open until September 14, 2026, so affected businesses should get ready to update their info and possibly face new costs.
2026-16959, Frequently Asked Questions-Developing Potential Cellular and Gene Therapy Products; Final Guidance for Industry; Availability
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a final guidance titled "Frequently asked Questions--Developing Potential Cellular and Gene Therapy Products." The guidance document provides industry with answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and commonly faced issues that arise during the development of cellular and gene therapy (CGT) products. The FAQs represent common questions directed to the Agency and span multiple disciplines, including regulatory review; chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC); pharmacology/toxicology; clinical; and clinical pharmacology. This guidance announced in this notice finalizes the draft guidance of the same title issued on November 19, 2024.
2026-16939, GNT USA, LLC.; Filing of Color Additive Petition
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is announcing that we have filed a petition, submitted by GNT USA, LLC., c/o Exponent, Inc., proposing that we amend our color additive regulations to provide for the safe use of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) extract as a color additive in various foods at levels consistent with good manufacturing practices.
2026-16942, Food Additives Permitted in Feed and Drinking Water of Animals; Chromium DL-methionine Chelate
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, we, or the Agency) is amending the regulations for food additives permitted in feed and drinking water of animals to provide for the safe use of chromium DL- methionine chelate as a nutritional source of chromium in cattle feed. This action is in response to a food additive petition filed by Zinpro Corp.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-03098, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco To Protect Children and Adolescents
The FDA is asking for feedback on rules that keep cigarettes and smokeless tobacco away from kids and teens. Tobacco makers, sellers, and advertisers must tell the FDA if they plan to use new types of ads or labels not already approved. Comments are open until March 20, 2026, and this helps make sure tobacco stays out of young hands without adding extra costs.
Next: 2026-03100, Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
The CDC is asking for your thoughts on their National HIV Surveillance System forms to make sure they’re useful and not too much work. They’re giving everyone 30 more days to share ideas before the final review, aiming to keep things clear and easy while saving time and money. If you’re involved or just curious, now’s the time to speak up!