[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 108 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30872-30873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14663]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


National Cancer Institute; Call for Nominations for the National 
Cancer Institute Director's Consumer Liaison Group

    The National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Federal Government's 
primary agency for cancer research, is launching a new initiative--the 
Director's Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG). Notice is hereby given that 
the NCI is accepting nominations for membership on the DCLG. This group 
will help the NCI to increase the representation of the cancer advocacy 
community on Institute advisory committees, and increase their 
involvement in program and policy development. The DCLG will consist of 
fifteen (15) consumer-advocates who are involved in cancer advocacy. 
The NCI will bring together these advocates from diverse communities, 
creating a two-way street that enables them to interact directly with 
the scientific community at the NCI on a wide range of programs and 
issues. The DCLG will also help the NCI to widen the pool of qualified 
consumer-advocates who can be called upon to serve on NCI advisory 
committees and other groups. Specifically the DCLG will meet several 
times a year to:
     Help develop and establish processes, mechanisms, and 
criteria for identifying appropriate consumer-advocates to serve on a 
variety of program and policy advisory committees responsible for 
advancing the mission of the NCI.
     Serve as a primary forum for discussing issues and 
concerns and exchanging viewpoints that are important to the broad 
development of the NCI programmatic and research priorities.
     Establish and maintain strong collaborations between the 
NCI and the cancer advocacy community to reach common goals.
    The DCLG will provide advice and make recommendations to the 
Advisory Committee to the Director, NCI. Members of the first DCLG will 
serve one, two, or three year terms. In subsequent years, members will 
serve three year terms.
    Eligibility Requirements for Individual Members. To serve on the 
DCLG, a member must meet the following minimum eligibility 
requirements:
     Be involved in the cancer experience as a cancer survivor, 
a person affected by the suffering and consequences of cancer, or a 
professional or volunteer who works with survivors or those affected.
     Represent a constituency (formally or informally) with 
which she or he communicates regularly on cancer issues and be able to 
serve as a conduit for information both to and from his/her 
constituency.
    Another essential requirement is a commitment to participating in 
the DCLG. This will not be used in the initial screening of nominees, 
but will be assessed as part of a more in-depth evaluation of qualified 
candidates.
    Criteria for Evaluating Individual Candidates. Nominees who meet 
the minimum eligibility requirements will be further assessed based on 
the following criteria:
     Cancer advocacy experience.
     Ability to communicate effectively.
     Ability to represent broad issues, think ``globally.''
     Ability to contribute to an effective group process (e.g., 
cooperative, constructive, flexible, innovative).
     Leadership ability. (While members of the DCLG are not 
required to hold a formal leadership position within a cancer advocacy 
organization, they must have leadership skills.)
    Characteristics of the DCLG. In addition to the criteria for 
individual candidates, the following characteristics of the DCLG as a 
group are intended to ensure that it reflects the breadth and diversity 
of the consumer advocacy community:
     Multicultural diversity.
     A broad mix of cancer sites.
     Representation of the medically underserved.
     Men and women.
     A range of organizations (local/regional and national).
     Age diversity.
     Geographic diversity (rural/urban mix).

[[Page 30873]]

    Screening, Scoring, and Review Process. After nominees are screened 
for eligibility, they will be scored in terms of the criteria. A list 
of highly qualified candidates who reflect balance and diversity of 
representation will be forwarded to the Director, NCI, for selection of 
the DCLG members.
    Nomination Process. The call for nominations is being disseminated 
to a broad range of groups, including local, regional and national 
organizations, to encourage nominations of candidates reflecting the 
diversity sought for the DCLG. Nominations may come from members of 
organizations, or individuals, including self-nominations. The 
nominations must be postmarked by September 15, 1997. To request a 
nomination package send your name, advocacy organization affiliation 
(if any), and address to the Office of Liaison Activities, NCI, c/o 
Palladian Partners, 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 440 W, Bethesda, MD 
20814, FAX (301) 986-5047.

    Dated: May 28, 1997.
Marvin Kalt,
Director, Division of Extramural Activities, National Cancer Institute.
[FR Doc. 97-14663 Filed 6-4-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M