[Federal Register: May 23, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 100)]
[Notices]
[Page 28597-28598]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my01-183]
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS
Office of Research and Development; Department of Veterans
Affairs Human Research Protection Accreditation Program
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Notice of draft accreditation standards.
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SUMMARY: This notice informs interested parties that draft standards
for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Human Research Protection
Accreditation Program (VAHRPAP) will be available for public comment on
the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Web site:
www.ncqa.org.
DATES: The public comment period will start May 16, 2001, and will
continue through June 1, 2001.
ADDRESS: The preferred method for receiving comments is as a Microsoft
Word file attached to an e-mail message. The e-mail message should be
sent to VAHRPAP@ncqa.org and have ``Public Comment'' in the subject
line. Please include your name, organizational affiliation and
telephone number in any e-mail correspondence.
Mail written comments (one original and three copies) to the
following address: NCQA, Attn: VAHRPAP, 2000 L Street, NW., Suite 500,
Washington, DC 20036. If you sent your comments by e-mail, please do
not send duplicate comments by mail.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a
five-year contract to the National Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA) to conduct an accreditation program, the first of its kind, to
help to ensure that VA medical centers are complying with VA and other
applicable Federal regulations for the protection of human subjects of
research. NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to
improving health care quality, with 10 years of experience in
accrediting and certifying health care programs. NCQA will partner with
Medical Care Management Corporation (MCMC) to design the program and to
recruit, credential and schedule surveyors. MCMC has established a
large panel of experienced clinical researchers who evaluate the
appropriateness of experimental treatments, conduct technology
assessments and review research protocols.
VA conducts biomedical, health services, and rehabilitation
research to improve the health care delivered to the Nation's veterans.
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) has developed policies,
consistent with the Common Rule and the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) regulations, to safeguard human subjects in research. Also, as
part of its responsibilities in protecting human subjects, VA's Office
of Research Compliance and Assurance (ORCA) collaborates with the
Office of Research and Development in carrying out this accreditation
contract, and will analyze trends from the accreditation reports for
continuing quality improvement. The VA Human Research Protection
Accreditation Program (VAHRPAP) will provide a routine external
evaluation of compliance with VA and other Federal policies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information about the
accreditation program, contact NCQA Customer Service, at (202) 955-
5697. For questions about the Department of Veterans Affairs human
subjects protection policies or programs, call Brenda Cuccherini, PhD,
VA Office of Research and Development, at (202) 408-3614.
[[Page 28598]]
Dated: May 16, 2001.
Anthony J. Principi,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 01-12974 Filed 5-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P