[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 156 (Friday, August 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44231-44232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20988]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration
[HCFA-3022-N]


Medicare Program; Meeting of the Drugs, Biologics, and 
Therapeutics Panel of the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee--
September 15 and 16, 1999

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Drugs, Biologics, and 
Therapeutics Panel of the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee. The 
Panel will discuss presentations from interested persons regarding the 
combination of high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation for 
the treatment of multiple myeloma. This meeting is open to the public 
and complies with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2, 
section 10(a)(1) and (a)(2)).

DATES: The Meeting: September 15, 1999, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., 
E.D.T., and September 16, 1999, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., E.D.T.
    Deadline for Presentation Submissions: August 20, 1999, 5 p.m., 
E.D.T.
    Deadline for Submission of Final Comments: September 30, 1999, 5 
p.m., E.D.T.

ADDRESSES: The Meeting: The meeting will be held at the Baltimore 
Convention Center, One West Pratt Street, Rooms 327-329, Baltimore, 
Maryland 21201-2499.
    Presentations and Comments: Submit written presentations and 
comments to Lauren K. Geyer, MHS, Executive Secretary; Office of 
Clinical Standards and Quality; Health Care Financing Administration; 
7500 Security Boulevard; Mail Stop S3-02-01; Baltimore, MD 21244.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren K. Geyer, MHS, Executive 
Secretary, (410) 786-2004.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We have established the Medicare Coverage 
Advisory Committee (MCAC) to provide advice and recommendations to us 
about clinical coverage issues. The MCAC is composed of an Executive 
Committee and six panels, each containing members with expertise in one 
or more of the following fields: clinical and administrative medicine, 
biologic and physical sciences, public health administration, health 
care data and information management and

[[Page 44232]]

analysis, the economics of health care, medical ethics, and other 
related professions. Each panel is composed of a chairperson, voting 
members, a nonvoting consumer representative, and a nonvoting industry 
representative.

Current Members of the Panel

    Thomas V. Holohan, MA, MD, FACP (Chairperson); Leslie P. Francis, 
JD, Ph.D.; Judith A. Cahill, MA; Michael L. Friedland, MD; Kathy J. 
Helzlsouer, MD, MHS; Robert C. Johnson, MS; Ronald P. Jordan, R.Ph.; 
Mitchell Sugarman, MBA, MS; Cathleen M. Dooley, MPA; and Christine M. 
Grant, JD.

Topic of the Meeting

    The Panel will discuss presentations from interested persons 
regarding the combination of high dose chemotherapy and stem cell 
transplantation for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Procedure and Agenda

    The Panel will hear oral presentations from the public for 
approximately 90 minutes on each day of the meeting. The Panel may 
limit the number and duration of oral presentations to the time 
available. If you wish to make a presentation during one of these 
sessions, you must submit the following to the Executive Secretary 
before the Deadline for Presentation Submissions date listed in the 
Dates section of this notice: a brief statement of the general nature 
of the evidence or arguments you wish to present, the names and 
addresses of proposed participants, and an estimate of the time 
required to make the presentation. We will request that you declare at 
the meeting whether or not you have any financial involvement with 
manufacturers of any items or services being discussed (or with their 
competitors).
    After the 90-minute public presentation on Day 2 of the meeting, we 
will make a presentation to the Panel. After our presentation, the 
Panel will deliberate openly on the topic. Interested persons may 
observe the deliberations, but the Panel will not hear further comments 
during this time except at the request of the chairperson. At the end 
of the Panel deliberations, the Panel will allow a 30-minute open 
public session for any attendee to address issues specific to the 
topic.

Submission of Final Comments

    Interested persons not scheduled to make an oral presentation, 
unable to attend the meeting, or wishing to make further remarks, may 
submit written comments to the Executive Secretary by the Deadline for 
Submission of Final Comments in the Dates section of this notice.

HCFA Home Page

    You may access detailed information regarding the agenda and 
schedule of presentations on our home page (www.hcfa.gov/quality/
8b.htm) the day after the Deadline for Presentation Submissions in the 
Dates section of this notice.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)(1) and (a)(2).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.774, 
Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

    Dated: August 9, 1999.
Michael M. Hash,
Deputy Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-20988 Filed 8-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P