[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 76 (Thursday, April 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20402-20403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5926]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Exotic Animal Importation, Sale, and Distribution Discussions; 
Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting on the subject of the 
importation, sale, and distribution of exotic animals. The purpose of 
the meeting is to gather information and discuss issues and concerns 
related to infectious disease threats associated with the importation, 
sale, and distribution of exotic animals.

DATES: The public meeting will be held May 18, 2006, from 1 p.m. to 5 
p.m. in Decatur, Georgia. Registration will begin at 12 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the following location: 
Holiday Inn Decatur Conference Plaza, 130 Clairemont Ave., Decatur, GA 
30030.
    Persons who are unable to attend the meeting may e-mail, fax, or 
mail their comments to: Attn: Kelly Crossett, 
[email protected]; fax 919-544-7507; Constella Group LLC, 
2605 Meridian Parkway, Durham, NC 27713; Written comments regarding the 
subject of this meeting that are received by May 18, 2006 will receive 
the same consideration as statements made at the public meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Attn: Kelly Crossett, telephone 919-
313-7615; [email protected]; fax 919-544-7507; Constella 
Group LLC, 2605 Meridian Parkway, Durham, NC 27713.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Participation at the Public Meeting

    Submit requests to present a statement at the public meeting to the 
contact listed in the section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 
The CDC should receive your requests to present oral statements at the 
public meeting no later than 10 days prior to the meeting. Include a 
written summary of oral remarks you would like to present and the 
estimated time needed for your presentation. A maximum of 15 minutes 
per speaker will be permitted. Requests received after the date 
specified above will be scheduled during the meeting if time allows; 
however, the names of those individuals may not appear on the written 
agenda. The CDC will prepare an agenda of speakers available at the 
meeting. To accommodate as many speakers as possible, the amount of 
time allocated to each speaker may be less than the estimated 15 minute 
maximum. Those persons desiring to have audiovisual equipment available 
should notify the CDC when they request placement on the agenda. All 
statements submitted during the meeting will be considered part of the 
public record.

Background

    Zoonoses are diseases that can be transmitted from animals to 
people, and prevention of zoonoses in humans poses special challenges 
and requires consideration of the role of exotic animals in disease 
transmission. Wild exotic animals may carry a variety of known and 
emerging zoonotic pathogens. The 2003 outbreak of monkeypox in the 
United States, which involved 37 confirmed human cases, ultimately 
traced back to the importation of African rodents, and illustrates the 
special risk associated with keeping wild animals as pets. CDC's 
regulations regarding the importation of African rodents may be found 
at 42 CFR 71.56. In addition, CDC has issued orders prohibiting the 
introduction into the United States of birds from countries where 
highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 subtype is present and civets. 
These actions were taken to prevent the introduction of monkeypox, 
avian influenza, and SARS-coronavirus into the United States. However, 
these actions may not fully protect the general public against the 
entry of zoonotic diseases because they are limited to specific 
species.
    The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Council of 
State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), and the National 
Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) have issued 
position statements calling for CDC to coordinate a meeting to address 
the issue of infectious disease risks associated with the importation 
of exotic animals. This meeting will invite discussion from several 
federal agencies with regulatory oversight of animals, interested 
stakeholders (including AVMA, CSTE, and NASPHV), and the general public 
regarding infectious disease threats related to exotic animal 
importation, sale, and distribution. The public meeting will be used as 
a forum to share information, answer questions, and discuss potential 
solutions concerning infectious disease risks associated with exotic 
animal importation, sale, and distribution.

Public Meeting Procedures

    The following procedures for this meeting are as follows:
    1. Admission and participation in the public meeting are free. The 
meeting will be open to all persons who have requested in advance to 
present statements or who register on the day of the meeting (between 
12 p.m. and 1 p.m.).
    2. Representatives from the CDC will conduct the public meeting. A 
panel of Federal personnel and representatives from veterinary and 
public health organizations will discuss information presented by 
participants.
    3. The public meeting is intended as a forum to share information 
and

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answer questions concerning infectious disease risks associated with 
the importation, sale, and distribution of exotic animals. Participants 
must limit their presentations to the issue of exotic animal 
importation, sale, and distribution.
    4. All interested parties will have the opportunity to present any 
information on the topic they want to be available to CDC and other 
Federal partners. The CDC and other federal partners will then have the 
opportunity to explain the methodology and technical assumptions 
supporting its current observations.
    5. Federal staff, representatives from public health and veterinary 
organizations, and public participants may engage in a full discussion 
of all technical material presented at the meeting. Anyone presenting 
conclusions will be expected to submit their supporting data to the 
CDC.
    6. The CDC will try to accommodate all speakers. A maximum of 15 
minutes will be allowed for each speaker. Time may be additionally 
limited for each presentation, depending on the number of speakers.
    7. Sign interpretations will be made available at the meeting, 
including assistive listening devices, if requested 15 calendar days 
before the meeting.
    8. Proceedings of the meeting will be recorded and a summary will 
be posted in the Federal Register.
    9. The CDC will review and consider all material presented by 
participants at the public meeting. Position papers or material 
presenting views or information related to the subject of the meeting 
may be accepted. The CDC requests that persons participating in the 
meeting provide 10 copies of all materials to be presented for 
distribution to the panel members; other copies may be provided to the 
audience at the discretion of the participant.
    10. Statements made by CDC personnel and other federal personnel 
are intended to facilitate discussion of the issues or to clarify 
issues. Such statements should not be interpreted as providing legal, 
professional, or other advice.
    11. The meeting is designed to share information and solicit 
individual views from the public and additional information. The 
meeting will not operate in consensus fashion. The meeting will be 
conducted in an informal and non-adversarial manner. All statements 
submitted during the meeting will be considered part of the public 
record.

    Dated: April 12, 2006.
James D. Seligman,
Chief Information Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E6-5926 Filed 4-19-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P