[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 67 (Friday, April 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14865-14866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07007]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice--Request for nominations for voting members.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: HRSA is requesting nominations to fill vacancies on the
Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV). The ACCV was
established by Title XXI of the Public Health Service Act (the Act),
and advises the Secretary of HHS (the Secretary) on issues related to
implementation of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
(VICP).
DATES: The agency will receive nominations on a continuous basis.
ADDRESSES: Submit your nominations to the Director, Division of Injury
Compensation Programs (DICP), Healthcare Systems Bureau (HSB), HRSA,
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 08N146B, Rockville, Maryland 20857. Submit your
electronic nomination package by email to Ms. Annie Herzog at
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Annie Herzog, Principal Staff
Liaison, DICP, HSB, HRSA, at (301) 443-6634 or email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authorities that established the
ACCV, the Federal Advisory Committee Act of October 6, 1972, (Pub. L.
92-463) and section 2119 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 300aa-19, as added by
Public Law 99-660 and amended, HRSA is requesting nominations for
voting members of the ACCV.
The ACCV advises the Secretary on the implementation of the VICP.
Other activities of the ACCV include: Recommending changes to the
Vaccine Injury Table, at its own initiative or as the result of the
filing of a petition; advising the Secretary on implementing section
2127 of the Act regarding the need for childhood vaccination products
that result in fewer or no significant adverse reactions; surveying
federal, state, and local programs and activities related to gathering
information on injuries associated with the administration of childhood
vaccines, including the adverse reaction reporting requirements of
section 2125(b) of the Act; advising the
[[Page 14866]]
Secretary on the methods of obtaining, compiling, publishing, and using
credible data related to the frequency and severity of adverse
reactions associated with childhood vaccines; consulting on the
development or revision of Vaccine Information Statements; and
recommending to the Director of the National Vaccine Program research
related to vaccine injuries which should be conducted to carry out the
VICP.
The ACCV consists of nine voting members appointed by the Secretary
as follows: (1) Three health professionals, who are not employees of
the United States Government, and who have expertise in the health care
of children, the epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of childhood
diseases, and the adverse reactions associated with vaccines, of whom
at least two shall be pediatricians; (2) three members from the general
public, of whom at least two shall be legal representatives (parents or
guardians) of children who have suffered a vaccine-related injury or
death; and (3) three attorneys, of whom at least one shall be an
attorney whose specialty includes representation of persons who have
suffered a vaccine-related injury or death, and of whom one shall be an
attorney whose specialty includes representation of vaccine
manufacturers. In addition, the Director of the National Institutes of
Health, the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Director of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Commissioner of the Food
and Drug Administration (or the designees of such officials) serve as
nonvoting ex officio members.
HHS will consider nominations of all qualified individuals with a
view to ensure that the ACCV includes the areas of subject matter
expertise noted above. As indicated above, at least two of the three
ACCV members of the general public must be legal representatives
(parents or guardians) of children who have suffered a vaccine-related
injury or death. Because those members must be the legal
representatives of children who have suffered a vaccine-related injury
or death, to be considered for appointment to the ACCV in that category
there must have been a finding (i.e., a decision) by the U.S. Court of
Federal Claims or a civil court that a VICP-covered vaccine caused, or
was presumed to have caused, the represented child's injury or death.
Additionally, based on a recommendation made by the ACCV, the Secretary
will consider having a health professional with expertise in obstetrics
as one of the members of the general public.
ACCV members are appointed as Special Government Employees. As
such, they are covered by the federal ethics rules, including the
criminal conflict of interest statutes governing executive branch
employees. For example, an ACCV member may be prohibited from
discussions about making changes to the Vaccine Injury Table and
Vaccine Information Statements for the Hepatitis B vaccine if he/she or
his/her spouse owns stock valued above a certain amount in companies
that manufacturer this vaccine, affecting their own pecuniary
interests--including interests imputed to them. To evaluate possible
conflicts of interest, potential candidates will be asked to fill out
the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Confidential Financial
Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450, to provide detailed information
concerning financial interests, consultancies, research grants, and/or
contracts that might be affected by recommendations made by the ACCV.
Interested persons may nominate one or more qualified persons for
membership on the ACCV. Nominations shall state that the nominee is
willing to serve as a member of the ACCV. Nominees will be invited to
serve a 3-year term beginning the date of appointment. A nomination
package should be submitted as hard copy or email communication and
should include the following information for each nominee: (1) A letter
of nomination stating the name, affiliation, and contact information
for the nominee, the basis for the nomination (i.e., what specific
attributes, perspectives, and/or skills does the individual possess
that would benefit the workings of the ACCV) and the nominee's field(s)
of expertise; (2) a biographical sketch of the nominee and a copy of
his/her curriculum vitae; and (3) the name, address, daytime telephone
number, and email address at which the nominator can be contacted.
Nomination packages will be collected and retained to create a pool of
possible future ACCV voting members. When a vacancy occurs, nomination
packages from the appropriate category will be reviewed and nominees
may be contacted at that time.
HHS strives to ensure that the membership of the ACCV is balanced
in terms of points of view presented and the committee's function.
Every effort is made to ensure that the views of women, all ethnic and
racial groups, and people with disabilities are represented on HHS
Federal Advisory Committees and, therefore, HHS encourages nominations
of qualified candidates from these groups. HHS also encourages
geographic diversity in the composition of the Committee. Appointment
to the ACCV shall be made without discrimination on basis of age, race,
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural,
religious, or socioeconomic status. HHS encourages nominations of
qualified candidates from all groups and locations.
Dated: March 30, 2018.
Lori A. Roche,
Acting Deputy, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2018-07007 Filed 4-5-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P