[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 219 (Monday, November 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65613-65615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25280]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service


National Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors 
Technical Reports Review Subcommittee Meeting; Review of Draft NTP 
Technical Reports

    Pursuant to Pub. L. 92-463, notice is hereby given of the next 
meeting of the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors Technical Reports 
Review Subcommittee (``TRR Subcommittee'') on December 9-10, 2004, in 
the Rodbell Auditorium, Rall Building at the

[[Page 65614]]

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 111 T.W. Alexander 
Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. The meeting will begin each 
day at 8:30 a.m. The meeting is open to the public with attendance 
limited only by the space available (see ``Attendance, Registration, 
and Remote Access'' below).

Agenda

    The primary agenda topic is the peer review by the TRR Subcommittee 
of the findings and conclusions of seven draft NTP Technical Reports 
(TR) of rodent toxicology and carcinogenesis studies conducted by the 
NTP (see Preliminary Agenda below). There will also be a presentation 
on how the NTP handles contaminants in study materials and their impact 
on the interpretation of 2-year bioassays. In addition, at the request 
of the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors, the TRR Subcommittee will 
readdress the title of the Draft NTP Technical Report on Anthraquinone 
(see minutes from the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors meeting held 
June 29, 2004, available at http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/ntpweb/index.cfm?objectid=720164E3-BDB7-CEBA-F338FA2626639D56). As an 
introduction to the reports on the studies of polychlorinated biphenyl 
(PCB), a short presentation will be given on the use of Toxic 
Equivalency Factors (TEFs). The TEF methodology was developed as a 
mathematical tool that ranks the dioxin-like activity of a compound 
relative to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the most potent 
dioxin. This methodology has been applied to the NTP studies reported 
in TR 531: Mixture of 3,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) and 
2,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 118), TR 529: 2,2',4,4',5,5'-
Hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153), and TR 530: Mixture of PCB 126 and PCB 
153.
    A copy of the agenda, TRR Subcommittee roster, and the draft NTP 
Technical Reports, as available, will be posted on the NTP Web site 
(http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/ under Latest News) and will be 
available upon request to the NTP Executive Secretary, Dr. Barbara S. 
Shane (PO Box 12233, 111 T.W. Alexander Dr., MD A3-01, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27709, T: 919-541-4253; F: 919-541-0295; e-mail: 
[email protected]). Following the meeting, summary minutes will be 
available on the TRR Subcommittee Web site (see http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/ntpweb/index.cfm?objectid=227FC084=EB0C-7E93-9DCD6F03104F0D22) and in hard copy upon request to the NTP Executive 
Secretary.

Draft Reports Available for Public Review and Comment

    Approximately four weeks prior to the meeting, the draft reports 
will be available for public review, through the NTP Web page (http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/ under Latest News). Printed copies of the 
Draft NTP Technical Reports can be obtained, as available, from Central 
Data Management (NIEHS, PO Box 12233, MD EC-03, Research Triangle Park, 
NC 27709, T: 919-541-3419, F: 919-541-3687, e-mail: [email protected]).

Attendance, Registration and Remote Access

    The meeting is open to the public with attendance limited only by 
the space available. Individuals who plan to attend are strongly 
encouraged to register with the NTP Executive Secretary by December 2, 
2004 to ensure easy access to the NIEHS campus (contact information 
above) or online on the NTP Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov under 
Latest News). Please note that a photo ID is required to access the 
NIEHS campus. Persons needing special assistance, such as sign language 
interpretation or other reasonable accommodation in order to attend are 
asked to notify the NTP Executive Secretary at least seven business 
days in advance of the meeting. The NTP is also making plans to 
videocast the TRR Subcommittee meeting through the Internet at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/external/video.htm. The NTP cannot guarantee the 
technical quality of the video casting and people wishing to use this 
option are encouraged to test their ability to access the video cast at 
the above Internet address under Check your live video setup.

Public Comment

    Comments on any of the Draft NTP Technical Reports are welcome. 
Time will be provided at the meeting for oral public comment on the 
reports. Persons requesting time for an oral presentation on a 
particular report are asked to notify the NTP Executive Secretary 
(contact information given above) by December 2, 2004, and to provide 
their contact information (name, affiliation, mailing address, phone, 
fax, e-mail), and supporting organization (if any). Persons registering 
to make comments are asked to provide a written copy of their statement 
to the NTP Executive Secretary on or before December 2, 2004, to enable 
review by the TRR Subcommittee and NTP staff prior to the meeting. 
These statements can supplement or expand an oral presentation. Each 
speaker will be allotted at least 7 minutes and, if time permits, up 10 
minutes for presentation of oral comments. Each organization is allowed 
one time slot per report being reviewed. Registration for making public 
comments will also be available on-site. If registering on-site to 
speak and reading comments from printed text, the speaker is asked to 
provide 25 copies of the statement for distribution to the Subcommittee 
and NTP staff, and to supplement the record.
    Written comments without an oral presentation at the meeting are 
also welcome. Comments should include contact information for the 
submitter (name, affiliation, mailing address, phone, fax, and e-mail) 
and supporting organization (if any). Written comments should be 
received by the NTP Executive Secretary on or before December 2, 2004, 
to enable distribution to the Subcommittee and NTP staff for their 
review and consideration prior to the meeting. Written comments 
received in response to this notice will be posted on the NTP Web site 
(http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov under Latest News).

Request for Additional Information

    The NTP would welcome receiving toxicology and carcinogenesis 
information from completed, ongoing or planned studies as well as 
current production data, human exposure information, and use patterns 
for any of the chemicals listed in this announcement. Please send this 
information to Central Data Management at the address given above and 
it will be forwarded to the appropriate NTP staff.

NTP Technical and Toxicity Report Series

    The NTP conducts toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of agents of 
public health concern. Any scientist, organization, or member of the 
public may nominate a chemical for NTP testing. Details about the 
nomination process are available on the NTP Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov under Nominations to the Testing Program). The 
results of short-term rodent toxicology studies are published in the 
NTP Toxicity Report series. Longer-term studies, generally, rodent 
carcinogenicity studies, are published in the NTP Technical Report 
series. The NTP has a new technical report series for studies conducted 
in genetically modified models. PDF files of completed reports are 
available free-of-charge at the NTP Web site (http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=084801F0-F43F-7B74-0BE549908B5E5C1C).

[[Page 65615]]

NTP Board of Scientific Counselors

    The NTP Board of Scientific Counselors (``the Board'') is a 
technical advisory body composed of scientists from the public and 
private sectors who provide primary scientific oversight and peer 
review to the NTP. Specifically, the Board advises the NTP on matters 
of scientific program content, both present and future, and conducts 
periodic review of the program for the purpose of determining and 
advising on the scientific merit of its activities and overall 
scientific quality. The TRR Subcommittee of the Board provides 
scientific peer review of the findings and conclusions of NTP Technical 
Reports. The Report on Carcinogens Subcommittee of the Board provides 
scientific peer review of nominations to the Report on Carcinogens, a 
Congressionally mandated listing of agents known or reasonably 
anticipated to be human carcinogens.
    The Board's members are selected from recognized authorities 
knowledgeable in fields, such as toxicology, pharmacology, pathology, 
biochemistry, epidemiology, risk assessment, carcinogenesis, 
mutagenesis, molecular biology, behavioral toxicology, neurotoxicology, 
immunotoxicology, reproductive toxicology or teratology, and 
biostatistics. The NTP strives for equitable geographic distribution 
and for minority and female representation on the Board.

    Dated: November 5, 2004.
Samuel H. Wilson,
Deputy Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Preliminary Agenda

National Toxicology Program (NTP) Technical Reports (TR) Scheduled for 
Review by the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors Technical Reports 
Review Subcommittee

December 9-10, 2004
    Rodbell Auditorium, National Institute of Environmental Health 
Sciences, 111 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC.
1. Overview of Dioxin Toxic Equivalency Factors (TEFs).
2. TR 531: Mixture of 3,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) and 
2,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 118) (CAS Nos. 57465-28-8 and 
31508-00-6, respectively).
     No longer used commercially; persistent polyhalogenated 
aromatic hydrocarbons present in the environment.
3. TR 529: 2,2',4,4',5,5'-Hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153) (CAS No. 35065-
27-1).
     No longer used commercially; persistent polyhalogenated 
aromatic hydrocarbon present in the environment.
4. TR 530: Mixture of PCB 126 and PCB 153 (CAS No: 57465-28-8 and 
835065-27-1, respectively).
     No longer used commercially; persistent polyhalogenated 
aromatic hydrocarbons present in the environment.
5. Discussion on Contaminants in NTP Study Materials: Impact on 
Interpretation of 2-year Bioassays.
     Discussion of the Title of Draft NTP Technical Report on 
Anthraquinone (TR-494).
6. TR 517: Sodium Chlorate (CAS No. 7775-09-9).
     Oxidizing agent, precursor in the synthesis of chlorine 
dioxide; found as byproduct in water disinfected with chlorine dioxide.
7. TR 532: Bromodichloromethane (CAS No. 75-27-4).
     Water disinfectant by-product.
8. TR 522: 3'-Azido-3'-thymidine (AZT) (CAS No. 30516-87-1).
     Chemotherapeutic agent for treatment of people with 
acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
9. TR 533: Benzophenone (CAS No. 119-61-9).
     Photoinitiator fragrance enhancer, ultraviolet curing 
agent, intermediate in the manufacture of agricultural chemicals.

[FR Doc. 04-25280 Filed 11-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P