[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 53179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22827]


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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), [email protected].
    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 [email protected].
    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