[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 203 (Tuesday, October 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 60149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26435]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Medical Research Service Merit Review Committee, Notice of 
Meetings

    The Department of Veterans Affairs gives notice under the Public 
Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that the subcommittees of 
the Medical Research Service Merit Review Committee will meet from 8 
a.m. to 5 p.m. as indicated below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Subcommittee for               Date(s)             Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aging and Clinical Geriatrics.  November 5, 2003..  Holiday Inn Central.
Clinical Research Program.....  November 17, 2003.  Marriott Residence
                                                     Inn.
Immunology....................  November 18-19,     Marriott Residence
                                 2003.               Inn.
Endocrinology-A...............  November 20-21,     Marriott Residence
                                 2003.               Inn.
General Medical Science.......  November 24, 2003.  Governor's House.
Mental Health and Behav Sci...  December 1-2, 2003  Holiday Inn Central.
Surgery.......................  December 8, 2003..  Governor's House.
Infectious Diseases...........  December 11-12,     Holiday Inn Central.
                                 2003.
Endocrinology-B...............  December 18-19,     Holiday Inn Central.
                                 2003.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The addresses of the hotels are:
    Governor's House, 1615 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.
    Holiday Inn Central, 1501 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.
    Marriott Residence Inn (Thomas Circle), 1199 Vermont Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC.
    These subcommittee meetings are for the purpose of evaluating the 
scientific merit of research conducted in each specialty by Department 
of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigators working in VA Medical Centers 
and Clinics.
    The subcommittee meetings will be open to the public for 
approximately one hour at the start of each meeting to discuss the 
general status of the program. The remaining portion of each 
subcommittee meeting will be closed to the public for the review, 
discussion, and evaluation of initial and renewal projects.
    The closed portion of the meetings involves discussion, 
examination, reference to and oral review of site visits, staff and 
consultant critiques of research protocols and similar documents. 
During this portion of the subcommittee meetings, discussion and 
recommendations will deal with qualifications of personnel conducting 
the studies, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly 
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, as well as research 
information, the premature disclosure of which could significantly 
frustrate implementation of proposed agency action regarding such 
research projects.
    As provided by subsection 10(d) of Public Law 92-453, as amended, 
closing portions of these subcommittee meetings is in accordance with 5 
U.S.C., 552b(c)(6) and (9)(B). Those who plan to attend or would like 
to obtain a copy of minutes of the subcommittee meetings and rosters of 
the members of the subcommittees should contact LeRoy G. Frey, Ph.D., 
Chief, Program Review Division, Medical Research Service (121F), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, (202) 408-3630.

    Dated: October 10, 2003.

    By Direction of the Secretary.
E. Philip Riggin,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-26435 Filed 10-20-03; 8:45 am]
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