[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 115 (Thursday, June 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35698-35699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14499]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns
and Children
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice of Request for Nominations of Non-Voting Secretary's
Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children
(SACHDNC) members to serve as representatives of organizations or
interest groups.
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SUMMARY: HRSA is requesting applications to fill three (3) vacancies
for non-voting organizational representatives on the SACHDNC.
Authority: Section 1111 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act,
42 U.S.C. 300b-10, as amended. The SACHDNC also is governed by the
provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), and
41 CFR part 102-3, which sets forth standards for the formation and
use of advisory committees.
DATES: The agency must receive written applications from nominees
(including a letter of support from an appropriate official of the
organization with which affiliated) or the nominee's organization, on
or before August 1, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Submit written applications to Sara Copeland, M.D.,
Designated Federal Official (DFO), SACHDNC; and, Chief, Genetic
Services Branch, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and
Services Administration, Room 18A-19, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857. Applications may also be sent to
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debi Sarkar, M.P.H., Genetic Services
Branch, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, at [email protected] or
(301) 443-1080. A copy of the SACHDNC Charter and list of the current
membership may be obtained by contacting Ms. Sarkar or by accessing the
SACHDNC Web site at http://www.hrsa.gov/advisorycommittees/mchbadvisory/heritabledisorders/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SACHDNC is directed to review and report
regularly on newborn and childhood screening practices for heritable
disorders and recommend improvements in the national newborn and
childhood heritable screening programs.
The SACHDNC provides the Secretary with recommendations, advice,
and technical information regarding the application of technologies,
policies, guidelines, and standards for: (a) Effectively reducing
morbidity and mortality in newborns and children having, or at risk
for, heritable disorders; and (b) enhancing the ability of the State
and local health agencies to provide for newborn and child screening,
counseling, and health care services for newborns and children having,
or at risk for, heritable disorders.
Specifically, HRSA is requesting applications for three (3) non-
voting organizational representatives to serve on the SACHDNC: Two (2)
at large representatives of a public health constituency, medical
professional
[[Page 35699]]
society or national advocacy organization and one (1) representative of
a public health professional organization. Non-voting representatives
provide a perspective unique to the SACHDNC based on their
organizations' or interest groups' subject area of expertise, and each
nominee selection is based on the organization's/interest group's
mission and relevancy to the SACHDNC's purpose (e.g., primary care,
pediatrics, newborn screening, genetics and other relevant specialty
expertise). Eligible organizations should represent broad
constituencies affected or impacted by the work of the SACHDNC, as
noted in the SACHDNC Charter.
Applicants eligible for consideration include representatives of
the following organizations: (a) Medical, technical, public health, or
scientific organizations with special expertise in the field of
heritable disorders or (b) organizations that provide screening,
counseling, testing, or specialty services for newborns and children at
risk for heritable disorders. Organizations will also be chosen based
on perspectives and expertise not currently represented, or with
expiring terms, that serve to increase the knowledge base of the
SACHDNC.
Applicants are requested to submit a written application to the
DFO. Applications must contain the following:
Letter of nomination stating the organization's:
[cir] Name and mission statement;
[cir] Outline of the perspective and expertise provided by the
nominated organization and why this perspective and expertise would
benefit the SACHDNC; and
[cir] Description of how the SACHDNC's work affects and/or impacts
the nominated organization and its constituency.
Contact information: Point of contact name, address,
telephone number, and Web site of the organization;
Portfolio of organizational projects, programs and
products that are of importance to the SACHDNC's work;
Organization's commitment to provide expert input into the
decision-making process of the SACHDNC;
Organization's detailed information concerning any
possible conflicts of interest relative to both the organization and
the proposed organizational representative (e.g., current or
anticipated employment, consultancies, research grants, or contracts);
Organization's commitment to support a representative to
attend all SACHDNC meetings;
Organization's commitment to ensure active contribution to
and dissemination of SACHDNC activities and recommendations to its
representative constituencies;
Statement affirming that the organization: (a) Wishes to
serve as a representative to the SACHDNC, and (b) has no conflict of
interest that would preclude informing the SACHDNC in a fair and
balanced manner;
Organization's description clearly identifying how the
organizational perspective and expertise would serve to increase the
knowledge base of the SACHDNC; and
SACHDNC's professional impact on the organization and its
stakeholders.
Please submit written nominations no later than August 1, 2012. The two
(2) at large organizational representatives will be invited to
contribute to the SACHDNC for terms of not more than 2 years with an
opportunity to re-apply to serve after the 2-year term has expired. The
public health professional organization will be invited to have a
representative contribute to the SACHDNC for terms of not more than 4
years with an opportunity to re-apply to serve after the 4-year term
has expired. Selected organizations will have their representatives
begin serving their term in January 2013.
Whenever possible, organizational representatives to the SACHDNC
shall have expertise in dealing with heritable disorders and genetic
diseases affecting racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse
populations of newborns served by State newborn screening programs. HHS
will ensure that SACHDNC members equitably reflect geographical
location and gender distribution, provided that Committee effectiveness
would not be impaired. Appointments shall be made without regard to
age, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, and cultural, religious,
or socioeconomic status.
Dated: June 7, 2012.
Reva Harris,
Acting Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination.
[FR Doc. 2012-14499 Filed 6-13-12; 8:45 am]
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