[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 204 (Monday, October 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62114-62115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17699]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Translational Research Working Group Public Comment Period

AGENCY: National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health 
(NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Translational Research Working Group (TRWG), a broad panel 
including advocates, researchers from academia, industry 
representatives, and government officials, was established in early 
2005 to evaluate the status of the

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National Cancer Institute's (NCI) intramural and extramural investment 
in translational research in order to develop recommendations on ways 
to coordinate and optimally integrate activities. The TRWG is also 
charged with developing implementation strategies that will enable the 
scientific community and NCI leadership to appropriately prioritize its 
translational research opportunities. Recommendations will be made to 
the National Cancer Advisory Board in early 2007. To assist in its 
future planning efforts, the TRWG is asking interested parties for 
feedback on the seventeen draft initiatives they are proposing. The 
TRWG compiled these draft initiatives from the comments received during 
the previous public comment period in early 2006. These draft 
initiatives address the obstacles to a successful translational 
research enterprise identified by the TRWG. By listening to interested 
parties and stakeholders from the wider community, the TRWG hopes to 
enhance this exciting and important activity--charting the future 
course of translational progress against cancer.

DATES: Parties interested in submitting comments on the draft 
initiatives should submit them by November 22, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically to the TRWG Web 
site: http://www.cancer.gov/trwg/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The National Cancer Institute is committed to speeding the 
development of new diagnostic tests, cancer treatments, and other 
interventions that benefit people with cancer and people at risk for 
cancer. Such development relies on strong translational research 
collaborations between basic and clinical scientists to generate novel 
approaches. Currently, NCI supports a variety of projects that build 
this bridge between basic science and patient care.
    Over the past year, the Translational Research Working Group (TRWG) 
reviewed NCI's current intramural and extramural translational research 
portfolio (within the scope of the TRWG mission), facilitated broad 
community input, invited public comment, and recommended ways to 
improve and integrate efforts. The ultimate goal is to accelerate 
progress toward improving the health of the nation and cancer patient 
outcomes.

Request for Comments

    To better address the obstacles a successful translational research 
enterprise may face and to ensure the different viewpoints in the 
cancer research community are represented, the TRWG seeks input on the 
following challenges and the steps to facing them:
     Insufficient coordination and integration across NCI 
results in a fragmented translational research effort that risks 
duplication and may miss important opportunities.
     Absence of clearly designated funding and adequate 
incentives for researchers threatens the perceived importance of 
translational research within the NCI enterprise.
     Absence of a structured, consistent review and 
prioritization process tailored to the characteristics and goals of 
translational research makes it difficult to direct resources to 
critical needs and opportunities.
     Translational research core services are often duplicative 
and inconsistently standardized, with capacity poorly matched to need.
     Multidisciplinary nature of translational research and the 
need to integrate sequential steps in complex development pathways 
warrants dedicated project management resources.
     Inadequate collaboration with industry delays appropriate 
developmental hand-offs.
     Extended negotiation on intellectual property issues 
delays or prevent potentially productive collaborations.
     Inadequate collaboration with foundations/advocacy groups 
risks missing important opportunities for integration of translational 
research efforts and patient outreach.
     Insufficient collaboration and communication between basic 
and clinical scientists and the paucity of effective training 
opportunities limits the supply of experienced translational 
researchers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ernest Hawk, M.D., M.P.H., Director, 
Office of Centers, Training and Resources, National Cancer Institute, 
National Institutes of Health. Or visit the TRWG Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/trwg.

    Dated: October 17, 2006.
Ernest Hawk,
Director, Office of Centers, Training and Resources, National Cancer 
Institute, National Institutes of Health.
 [FR Doc. E6-17699 Filed 10-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P