[Federal Register: September 9, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 174)]
[Notices]
[Page 53179]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09se03-98]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Office of the Director; Notice of Meeting and Request for Public
Comment: Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and
Society
Pursuant to Pub. L. 92-463, notice is hereby given of the second
meeting of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health,and
Society (SACGHS), U.S. Public Health Service. The meeting will be held
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 22, 2003 and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on
October 23, 2003 at the Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L'Enfant Plaza,
Washington, DC. The meeting will be open to the public with attendance
limited to space available.
On the first day of the meeting, the Committee will review the
roles, activities, and plans of the Federal regulatory agencies with
regard to the oversight of genetic technologies, including
pharmacogenomic technologies, to determine whether further study of
this area is warranted. Program officials from the Food and Drug
Administration, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, and Federal Trade Commission will brief
the Committee about current and planned regulatory approaches with
respect to genetic technologies. On the second day, the Committee will
review Federal efforts to address the adequacy of the genetics
workforce and the education and training of health professionals in
genetics. Reports will also be provided on the efforts of professional
societies and organizations to enhance the preparedness of health
professionals in genetics. The Committee will also hold a session on
related international activities at which representatives of the Human
Genetics Commission of the United Kingdom and the Australian Law Reform
Commission will report on their countries' efforts to address emerging
issues raised by advances in genetic technologies. Under authority of
42 U.S.C. 217a, Section 222 of the Public Health Service Act, as
amended, the Department of Health and Human Services established SACGHS
to serve as a public forum for deliberations on the broad range of
human health and societal issues raised by the development and use of
genetic technologies and, as warranted, to provide advice on these
issues.
SACGHS welcomes receiving comments from the public on any issues
related to its mandate. For the October meeting in particular, the
Committee would welcome public comment on: (1) The adequacy of the
education and training of health professionals in genetics and the
genetics workforce and whether current efforts to prepare health
professionals to use genetic technologies are adequate and, if not,
what the gaps are and how should they be addressed; and (2) the role,
current activities, and plans of the Federal regulatory agencies to
assure the safety and appropriate marketing of genetic tests. Written
comments submitted to the Committee by October 1, 2003 will be
considered part of the Committee's deliberations. Time will also be
provided during the meeting for public commentary. Written public
comments should be submitted by mail, e-mail, or fax to the following.
Edward R.B. McCabe, M.D., PhD., Chair, Secretary's Advisory Committee
on Genetics, Health and Society, c/o NIH Office of Biotechnology
Activities, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-
496-9839 (fax), sc112c@nih.gov. Members of the public who wish to make a statement to the Committee
during the meeting should notify the SACGHS Executive Secretary, Ms.
Sarah Carr, by telephone at (301) 496-9838 or e-mail at sc112c@nih.gov. The draft meeting agenda and other information about SACGHS will be
available at the following Web site: http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/sacghs.htm.
Individuals who plan to attend the meeting and need special
assistance, such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable
accommodations, are asked to notify Ms. Carr in advance of the meeting
by contacting her at the phone number or e-mail address listed above.
Dated: August 27, 2003.
LaVerne Y. Stringfield,
Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy.
[FR Doc. 03-22827 Filed 9-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M