[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 63 (Monday, April 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17103-17105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6606]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Office of the Director; Office of Dietary Supplements: Notice of 
Opportunity for Public Comment and Public Meeting

Background

    The Office Dietary Supplements (ODS) was established in the Office 
of

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the Director, NIH, in 1995 as a major provision of the Dietary 
Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). A key early 
activity was the development of a Strategic Plan to define the mission 
of ODS and to define program goals. It was prepared with considerable 
input from NIH Institutes and Centers, several Federal agencies, 
consumers, and other interested parties. The original Strategic Plan 
guided ODS activities and programs from 1998 to 2003.
    In 2003, the Office of Dietary Supplements undertook a public 
process to review its original Strategic Plan and developed a revised 
Strategic Plan for 2004-2009 entitled, ``Promoting Quality Science in 
Dietary Supplement Research, Education, and Communication''. This 
document was published in January 2004 and is available by e-mail 
request to [email protected], and on the ODS Web site at http://ods.od.nih.gov.
    The revised ODS Strategic Plan for 2004-2009 reviews the programs 
and activities that were initiated under the original Strategic plan 
during 1998-2003 and identified five major program goals related to 
research, education and communication for 2004-2009:
     Expand the evaluation of the role of dietary supplements 
in disease prevention and in reduction of risk factors associated with 
disease.
     Foster research that evaluates the role of dietary 
supplements in maintaining and improving optimal physical and mental 
health and performance.
     Stimulate and support research to further understanding of 
the biochemical and cellular effects of dietary supplements on 
biological systems and their physiological impact across the life 
cycle.
     Promote and support the development and improvement of 
methodologies appropriate to the scientific study of dietary supplement 
ingredients.
     Expand and conduct outreach activities that inform and 
educate the public, health care providers, and scientists about the 
benefits and risks of dietary supplements.
    Since its inception in 1995 under DSHEA, the original and revised 
strategic plans focus on implementation of the ODS Mission: ``to 
strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by 
evaluating scientific information, stimulating and supporting research, 
disseminating research results, and educating the public to foster an 
enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population.''
    The ODS will hold an open public meeting on May 20, 2005 at the 
location and time listed below to receive comments and suggestions on 
additional needs and opportunities related to the 2004-2009 ODS 
Strategic Plan. Information about the meeting, including a link to the 
registration form and the tentative agenda, is available on ODS Web 
site http://ods.od.nih.gov. There is no registration fee. The overall 
purpose of this public meeting is to provide interested parties a time 
to identify new opportunities and emerging needs for possible 
incorporation in the ODS research, education, and communication 
programs and activities. To address this purpose, guidance is being 
requested from all persons and organizations in the dietary supplement 
community.
    Materials that describe the current ODS programs and activities, 
information about the public meeting, and a link to the meeting 
registration form are available on the ODS Web site at http://ods.od.nih.gov. In addition, the materials are available from the 
Office at the address listed below. On or about April 15, 2005, 
information and data on ODS programs and activities will be updated and 
will be available on the ODS Web site and at the address listed below 
as well as at the public meeting.
    The open meeting will begin with a brief presentation of the 
current and emerging programs and activities of the ODS. Several 
invited speakers representing the broad range of interests in the 
dietary supplement user community will be asked to comment on emerging 
needs and opportunities that can enhance the scope and depth of ODS 
programs. There will be an opportunity for individuals and 
organizations to provide their views and suggestions on possible 
additional directions that ODS should consider in its five year 
Strategic Plan.
    We will use all information received at the meeting as well as 
written comments received by 5 p.m. e.s.t., on June 30, 2005 in 
response to this request in considering modifications to the ODS 
Strategic Plan for 2004-2009. Comments and suggestions should be 
forwarded to the address listed below or sent to [email protected]. 
Results of this review will be shared with the ODS Trans-NIH/Agency 
Working Group, a Federal interagency group convened by ODS to enhance 
cooperation and communication across Federal departments, agencies, 
institutes, centers, and offices concerning research, education , and 
communication about dietary supplements. In addition, results of this 
review will be posted on the ODS Web site and will be available upon 
request.
    Meeting Title: Office of Dietary Supplements Public Meeting.
    Date: May 20, 2005.
    Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
    Place: Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference Center, 5701 
Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852.
    Contact Person: Kenneth D. Fisher, Ph.D., Office of Dietary 
Supplements, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 3B01, Bethesda, MD 20892-
7517, Phone: (301) 435-2920, Fax: (301) 480-1845, e-mail: 
[email protected].

Public Participation

    The meeting is open to the public with attendance limited by the 
availability of space on a first come, first served basis. Interested 
persons and organizations that wish to present oral comments should 
indicate this when registering on the ODS Web site or at http://www.scgcorp.com/odspublicmtg, no later than May 6, 2005.
    Oral comments will be limited to three minutes; however, submission 
of additional documentation is encouraged. Individuals who register to 
speak will be assigned in the order in which they registered. Due to 
time constraints, only one representative from each organization will 
be allotted time for oral presentation. We may limit the number of 
speakers and the time allotted depending on the number of registrants. 
All requests to register should include the name, address, telephone 
number, and business or professional affiliation of the interested 
party. If time permits, we will allow any person attending the meeting 
who has not registered to speak in advance of the meeting to make a 
brief oral statement during the time set aside for public comments and 
at the chairperson's discretion.
    We encourage individuals unable to attend the meeting and all 
interested parties to send written comments to the Office of Dietary 
Supplements by mail, fax, or electronically. If possible, comments that 
are mailed or faxed should also be forwarded electronically.
    Persons needing special assistance, such as sign language 
interpretation or other special accommodations at the meeting should 
indicate this when registering or contact the Office of Dietary 
Supplements at the address or telephone number listed no later than 
April 29, 2005.


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    Dated: March 23, 2005.
Paul M. Coates,
Director, Office of Dietary Supplements, Office of the Director, 
National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 05-6606 Filed 4-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P