[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28597-28598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12974]


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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 [email protected] 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