[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 57336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21427]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 
Announcement of Draft 5-Year Strategic Plan

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 
(NCCAM) is developing its 5-year strategic plan (2005-2009), and 
invites the public to provide comments on a draft of this plan. The 
draft plan will be publicly available through the NCCAM Web site at 
http://nccam.nih.gov from on or about October 4 through November 15, 
2004. The public is invited to provide comments through the mail and 
via the NCCAM Web site.

Background

    The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 
(NCCAM) was established in 1998 with the mission of exploring 
complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of 
rigorous science, training CAM researchers, and disseminating 
authoritative information to the public and professionals.
    To date, NCCAM's efforts to rigorously study CAM, to train CAM 
researchers, to conduct outreach, and to facilitate integration have 
been guided by NCCAM's current strategic plan, ``Expanding Horizons of 
Healthcare: Five Year Strategic Plan 2001-2005'' located on the NCCAM 
Web site at http://nccam.nih.gov/about/plans/fiveyear/index.htm. Since 
its inception, NCCAM has funded over 800 research projects and has over 
700 grantee publications.
    NCCAM's new strategic plan will stipulate strategic goals and will 
outline a research agenda for CAM domains and scientific areas, based 
on identified needs and opportunities.
    The public is invited to review the draft strategic plan and 
provide comments from October 4 through November 15, 2004. The draft 
plan may be viewed at http://nccam.nih.gov/. Hard copies of the plan 
may be obtained by calling 1-888-644-6226 or by e-mailing to 
[email protected].

Request for Comments

    The public is invited to provide comments on the draft strategic 
plan for 2005-2009. Comments may be provided through the NCCAM Web site 
at http://nccam.nih.gov or via U.S. mail to: Strategic Plan Feedback, 
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NIH, 31 
Center Drive, MSC 2182, Bethesda, MD 20892-2182.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To request more information, visit the NCCAM 
Web site at http://nccam.nih.gov, call 1-888-644-6226, or e-mail 
[email protected].

Comments Due Date

    Comments regarding the draft of NCCAM's strategic plan are best 
assured of having their full effect if received by November 15, 2004.

    Dated: September 15, 2004.
Christy Thomsen,
Director, Office of Communications and Public Liaison, National Center 
for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of 
Health.
[FR Doc. 04-21427 Filed 9-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P