[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 660-661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-120]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Office of Public Health and Science and Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention; Statement of Organization, Functions, and 
Delegations of Authority

    Part A, Office of the Secretary (OS) of the Statement of 
Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority for the 
Department of Health and Human Services, Chapter AC, Office of Public 
Health and Science (OPHS), as last amended at 67 FR 71568-70, dated 
December 2, 2002; and Part H, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, as last amended at 68 FR 47065-76, dated August 7, 2003, 
are being amended to reflect the transfer of the National Vaccine 
Program Office (NVPO) from the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention to the Office of Public Health and Science. The NVPO will be 
headed by a Director who will report to the Assistant Secretary for 
Health. The changes are as follows:
    I. Under Part H, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
Chapter CA, ``Office of the Director'': delete the title and functional 
statement for the National Vaccine Program Office (HCA8) in its 
entirety.
    II. Under Part A, Chapter AC, Office of Public Health and Science, 
make the following changes:
    A. Under paragraph AC.10 Organization, insert the following line at 
the end of the listing:
    M. National Vaccine Program Office (ACP).
    B. Under paragraph AC.20, Functions, make the following changes:
    1. Delete paragraph, ``B. Immediate Office (ACA),'' in its 
entirety, and replace with the following:
    B. The Immediate Office (ACA): (1) Provides direction to program 
offices within OPHS; (2) provides advice to assure that the Department 
conducts broad based public health assessments designed to better 
define public health problems and to design solutions to those 
problems; assists other components within the Department in 
anticipating future public health issues and problems, and provides 
assistance to ensure that the Department designs and implements 
appropriate approaches, interventions, and evaluations, to maintain, 
sustain, and improve the health of the Nation; (3) at the direction of 
the Secretary, provides assistance in leading and managing the 
implementation and coordination of Secretarial decisions for Public 
Health Service Operating Divisions and, at the Secretary's direction, 
and for that purpose, draws on staff divisions and other organizational 
units for assistance in regard to legislation, budget, communications, 
and policy analysis; (4) provides a focus for leadership on matters 
including recommendations for policy on population-based public health 
and science and at the Secretary's direction leads and/or coordinates 
initiatives that cut across agencies and operating divisions; (5) 
provides advice to the Secretary and senior Department officials on 
budget and legislative issues of the Public Health Service Operating 
Divisions; (6) provides support for the Office of the Surgeon General 
in the exercise of statutory requirements and assigned activities; (7) 
works in conjunction with the Public Health Service Operating 
Divisions, and others, in promoting relationships among and between 
State and local health departments, academic institutions, professional 
and constituency organizations, and the Department; (8) works in 
conjunction with the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation on 
matters of science policy analysis and development; (9) provides 
administrative support to the Office of Global Health Affairs; (10) 
provides leadership for and participates in public health system 
improvement and development activities, particularly as they relate to 
population-based public health and the public health infrastructure; 
(11) communicates and interacts with national professional and 
constituency organizations on matters of public health and science; 
(12) provides departmental liaison for military and veterans issues in 
the form of advice and counsel to departmental officials; works with 
veterans associations and organizations; develops approaches within the 
Department to improve services to veterans and the military; and 
assists to bring focus on the needs of veterans and military families; 
(13) proposes findings of research

[[Page 661]]

misconduct and administrative actions in response to allegations of 
research misconduct involving research conducted or supported by the 
Public Health Service (PHS) OPDIVs, including reversal of an 
institution's no misconduct finding or opening of a new investigation; 
(14) responsible for management and oversight of human research 
subjects protections functions and related activities where research 
involves human subjects; (15) provides oversight and direction to the 
Regional Health Administrators (I-X) and their associated staff; (16) 
directs and manages the PHS Commissioned Corps, which includes a cadre 
of health professionals, and the associated personnel systems in 
support of the missions of the Department of Health and Human Services, 
U.S. Public Health Service, and agencies in which officers are assigned 
or detailed to, and provides oversight and direction for officer 
assignments and professional development; (17) provides policy and 
related oversight of the Commissioned Corps: and (18) manages the 
vaccine and immunization related activities for the Secretary.
    2. At the end of Paragraph L, insert the following new component: 
``M. National Vaccine Program Office (ACP)'': The Office: (1) Advises 
the Assistant Secretary for Health (the Director of the National 
Vaccine Program) regarding issues and concerns identified with the 
implementation of the responsibilities of the National Vaccine Program; 
(2) develops and provides the Assistant Secretary for Health an annual 
plan for the implementation of the responsibilities of the NVPO; (3) 
develops data and conducts analyses of Federal spending on vaccines and 
vaccine-related activities; (4) provides executive-secretary, staff and 
administrative support to the National Vaccine Advisory Committee; and 
(5) coordinates preparation and submission of the annual National 
Vaccine Report for transmittal by the Assistant Secretary for Health.
    III. Delegation for Authority: All delegations and redelegations of 
authority made by officials and employees of affected organizational 
components will continue in them or their successors pending further 
redelegation, provided they are consistent with this reorganization.
    Effective Date: This reorganization is effective on the date of 
signature.

    Dated: December 22, 2003.
Tommy G. Thompson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-120 Filed 1-5-04; 8:45 am]
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