[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5454-5456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01456]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Solicitation of Nominations for Organizations To Serve as Non-
Voting Liaison Representatives to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory
Committee (CFSAC)
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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Authority: 42 U.S.C. 217a, section 222 of the Public Health
Service (PHS) Act, as amended. The committee is governed by the
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5
U.S.C. App 2), which sets forth standards for the formation and use
of advisory committees.
SUMMARY: The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH),
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is soliciting
nominations from qualified organizations to be considered for non-
voting liaison representative positions
[[Page 5455]]
on the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC). CFSAC
provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of HHS, through
the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), on a broad range of issues
and topics related to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue
syndrome (ME/CFS). The issues can include factors affecting access and
care for persons with ME/CFS; the science and definition of ME/CFS; and
public health, clinical, research, and educational issues related to
ME/CFS. These three non-voting liaison representative positions will be
occupied by individuals who are selected by their organizations to
serve as representatives of organizations concerned with ME/CFS.
Organizations will be designated to occupy the positions for a two-year
term to commence during the 2013 calendar year. Nominations of
qualified organizations are being sought for these three non-voting
liaison representative positions. The organizations chosen for
representation on CFSAC will be selected by the Designated Federal
Officer (DFO) or designee during the 2013 calendar year. Details of
nomination requirements are provided below.
DATES: Nominations must be received no later than 5 p.m. EDT on
February 22, 2013, at the address listed below.
ADDRESSES: All nominations should be mailed or delivered to Nancy C.
Lee, M.D., Designated Federal Officer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Advisory Committee, Office on Women's Health, Department of Health and
Human Services, 200 Independence Ave. SW., Room 712E, Washington, DC
20201. Nomination materials, including attachments, may be submitted
electronically to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy C. Lee, M.D., Designated Federal
Officer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee, Office on Women's
Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave.
SW., Room 712E, Washington, DC 20201. Inquiries can be sent to
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CFSAC was established on September 5, 2002.
The purpose of the CFSAC is to provide advice and recommendations to
the Secretary of HHS, through the ASH, on issues related to ME/CFS.
CFSAC advises and makes recommendations on a broad range of topics
including: (1) The current state of knowledge and research; the
relevant gaps in knowledge and research about the epidemiology,
etiologies, biomarkers and risk factors relating to ME/CFS; and
potential opportunities in these areas; (2) impact and implications of
current and proposed diagnostic and treatment methods for ME/CFS; (3)
development and implementation of programs to inform the public, health
care professionals, and the biomedical research communities about ME/
CFS advances; and (4) strategies to improve the quality of life of ME/
CFS patients. Management and support services for Committee activities
are provided by staff from the HHS Office on Women's Health, within the
OASH. The CFSAC charter is available at http://www.hhs.gov/advcomcfs/charter/index.html.
CFSAC meetings are held not less than two times per year. The CFSAC
membership consists of 11 voting members, including the Chair. The
voting members are composed of seven biomedical research scientists,
and four individuals with expertise in health insurance, health care
delivery, private health care services, or representatives of voluntary
organizations concerned with the problems of individuals with ME/CFS.
CFSAC also includes seven non-voting ex officio member representatives
from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, Food and Drug Administration, Health Resources and Services
Administration, National Institutes of Health, and Social Security
Administration.
The CFSAC structure has been expanded to include three non-voting
liaison representative positions. Authorization was given for the
Committee structure to include the three non-voting liaison
representative positions when the charter was renewed on September 5,
2012. These positions will be occupied by individuals who are selected
by their organizations to serve as the official representative for
organizations that are concerned with ME/CFS. Organizations will occupy
these representative positions for a two-year term.
Nominations
The OASH is requesting nominations of organizations to fill three
non-voting liaison representative positions for the CFSAC. The
represented organizations will be selected by the DFO or designee
during the 2013 calendar year.
Selection of organizations that will serve as non-voting liaison
representatives will be based on the organization's qualifications to
contribute to the accomplishment of the CFSAC mission, as described in
the Committee charter. In selecting organizations to be considered for
these positions, the OASH will give close attention to equitable
geographic distribution and give priority to U.S.-chartered 501(c)(3)
organizations that operate within the United States and have membership
with demonstrated expertise in ME/CFS and related research, clinical
services, or advocacy and outreach on issues concerning ME/CFS.
The individual designated to serve as the official non-voting
liaison representative will perform the associated duties without
compensation, and will not receive per diem or reimbursement for travel
expenses. The organizations that are selected to be represented will
cover expenses for the designated representative to attend, at a
minimum, one in-person CFSAC meeting per year during the designated
term of appointment.
To qualify for consideration of selection to the Committee, an
organization should submit the following items:
(1) A statement of the organization's history, mission, and focus,
including information that demonstrates the organization's experience
and expertise in ME/CFS and related research, clinical services, or
advocacy and outreach on issues of ME/CFS, as well as expert knowledge
of the broad issues and topics pertinent to ME/CFS. This information
should demonstrate the organization's proven ability to work and
communicate with the ME/CFS patient and advocacy community, and other
public/private organizations concerned with ME/CFS, including public
health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.
(2) One to three letters of recommendation that clearly state why
the organization is qualified to serve on CFSAC in a representative
position. These letters should be from individuals who are not part of
the organization's leadership.
(3) A statement that the organization is willing to serve as a non-
voting liaison representative of the Committee and will cover expenses
for an individual representative to attend in-person, at a minimum, one
CFSAC meeting per year in Washington, DC during the designated term of
appointment.
(4) A current financial disclosure statement (or annual report)
demonstrating the organization's ability to cover expenses for an
individual to attend, at a minimum, one CFSAC meeting per year in
Washington, DC, during the term of appointment.
[[Page 5456]]
Submitted nominations must include these critical elements in order
for the organization to be considered for one of the non-voting liaison
representative positions.
Nomination materials should be typewritten, 12-point type and
double-spaced. All nomination materials should be submitted (postmarked
or received) by February 22, 2013.
Electronic submissions: Nomination materials, including
attachments, may be submitted electronically to [email protected].
Telephone and facsimile submissions cannot be accepted.
Regular, Express, or Overnight Mail: Written documents may be
submitted to the following addressee only: Nancy C. Lee, Designated
Federal Officer, CFSAC, Office on Women's Health, Department of Health
and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave. SW., Room 712E, Washington,
DC 20201.
HHS makes every effort to ensure that the membership of Federal
advisory committees is fairly balanced in terms of points of view
represented. Every effort is made to ensure that a broad representation
of geographic areas, sex, ethnic and minority groups, and people with
disabilities are given consideration for membership on Federal advisory
committees. Selection of the represented organizations shall be made
without discrimination against the composition of an organization's
membership on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, disability, and cultural, religious, or socioeconomic
status.
Dated: January 18, 2013.
Nancy C. Lee,
Designated Federal Officer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory
Committee.
[FR Doc. 2013-01456 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
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