[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23832-23833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8290]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS); 
National Toxicology Program (NTP); NTP Interagency Center for the 
Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM); Availability 
of Draft NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan and Request for Public Comments; 
Announcement of a Town Meeting on the Draft NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan

AGENCY: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), 
National Institutes of Health (NIH).

ACTION: Meeting announcement and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The NIEHS and NICEATM request public comments that can be 
considered by NICEATM, the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the 
Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), and relevant program 
offices on the draft NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan. The draft plan 
addresses: (a) Research, development, translation, and validation of 
new and revised non-animal and other alternatives assays for 
integration of relevant and reliable methods into federal agency 
testing programs and (b) identification of areas of high priority for 
new and revised non-animal and alternative assays for the replacement, 
reduction, and refinement (less pain and distress) of animal tests. The 
draft plan will be available on or before May 7, 2007, at the NICEATM-
ICCVAM 5-Year Plan Web site (http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/docs/5yearplan.htm). Copies of the draft plan may also be obtained by 
contacting NICEATM (see ADDRESSES below). NICEATM and ICCVAM will hold 
a public Town Meeting at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 
Maryland on June 11, 2007, beginning at 1 p.m. to adjournment (~5 p.m.) 
to receive oral comments on the draft NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan.

DATES: The draft NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan will be available by May 7, 
2007. Registration to attend the meeting and written comments on the 
draft NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan should be received by June 7, 2007. 
The Town Meeting will be held June 11, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The Town Meeting will be held at the William H. Natcher 
Conference Center, Room E, NIH, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, 
Maryland. Persons needing special assistance, such as sign language 
interpretation or other reasonable accommodation in order to attend, 
should contact 919-541-2475 voice, 919-541-4644 TTY (text telephone), 
through the Federal TTY Relay System at 800-877-8339, or send e-mail to 
[email protected]. Requests should be made at least 7 days in 
advance of the meeting. Written comments should be submitted preferably 
electronically at the NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan Web site: http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/docs/5yearplan.htm. Comments can also be submitted 
by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Other correspondence should be 
directed to Dr. William S. Stokes, NICEATM Director (NIH/NIEHS, P.O. 
Box 12233, MD EC-17, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; telephone: 919-
541-2384, fax: 919-541-0947 or e-mail: [email protected]. Courier 
address: NICEATM, 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Building 4401, Room 3128, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709).

[[Page 23833]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Congress established ICCVAM to promote development, validation, and 
regulatory acceptance of new or revised alternative toxicological test 
methods that protect human and animal health and the environment while 
reducing, refining, or replacing animal tests and ensuring human safety 
and product effectiveness (42 U.S.C. 285l-3). Congress has requested 
that NICEATM and ICCVAM, in partnership with relevant federal agencies, 
develop a five-year plan that addresses (1) research, development, 
translation, and validation of new and revised non-animal and other 
alternative assays for integration into federal agency testing programs 
and (2) identification of areas of high priority for new and revised 
non-animal and alternative assays for replacement, reduction, and 
refinement (less pain and distress) of animal tests. At this time, the 
NIEHS and NICEATM seek public comments on the draft plan. NICEATM and 
ICCVAM in partnership with relevant agency program offices will 
consider these comments in development of the final plan. A Town 
Meeting on June 11 will provide the public an opportunity to present 
oral comments on the draft plan (see below) to NICEATM staff, ICCVAM 
Agency Representatives, and other agency program staff. In addition, 
some members of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative 
Toxicological Methods (SACATM) will also attend. On June 12, 2007, 
SACATM will meet at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference 
Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where the agenda also includes discussion 
of the draft plan (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/7441) and opportunity 
for oral comments. The SACATM meeting will be announced in a separate 
Federal Register notice.

Registration for the Town Meeting

    The Town Meeting will be held on June 11, 2007, at the William H. 
Natcher Conference Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 
Maryland. Persons planning to attend are asked to register by June 7, 
2007 by completing the online registration at the NICEATM-ICCVAM Web 
site (http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/meetings/5YPlanTM/townmtg.htm) or by 
contacting NICEATM (see ADDRESSES above). The agenda is available on 
the NICEATM-ICCVAM Web site (http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/meetings/5YPlanTM/townmtg.htm) or can be obtained by contacting NICEATM (see 
ADDRESSES above).

Request for Comments

    The NIEHS and NICEATM invite public comments on the draft NICEATM-
ICCVAM 5-Year Plan. Written comments should be submitted preferably 
electronically at the NICEATM-ICCVAM 5-Year Plan Web site (http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/docs/5yearplan.htm). Comments can also be 
submitted by e-mail to [email protected]. Individuals submitting 
comments are asked to include appropriate contact information (name, 
affiliation, mailing address, phone, fax, e-mail, and sponsoring 
organization, if applicable). All comments received by June 7, 2007, 
will be posted on the ICCVAM-NICEATM Web site (http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/docs/5yearplan.htm) and identified by the 
individual's name, affiliation (if applicable), and/or sponsoring 
organization (if any).
    Persons registering to make oral comments at the Town Meeting are 
asked to contact NICEATM (see ADDRESSES above) and send a copy of their 
statement by June 7. Written statements can supplement and may expand 
the oral presentation. Each organization is allowed one speaker. At 
least 7 minutes will be allotted for each speaker, and if time permits, 
may be extended up to 10 minutes at the discretion of the moderator. 
Registration for oral comments will also be available on-site, although 
time allowed for presentation by on-site registrants may be less than 
for pre-registered speakers and will be determined by the number of 
persons who register at the meeting. If registering on-site and reading 
from written text, please bring 40 copies of the statement for 
distribution and to supplement the record.

Background Information on ICCVAM and NICEATM

    ICCVAM is an interagency committee composed of representatives from 
15 federal regulatory and research agencies that use, generate, or 
disseminate toxicological information. ICCVAM conducts technical 
evaluations of new, revised, and alternative methods with regulatory 
applicability and promotes scientific validation and regulatory 
acceptance of toxicological test methods that more accurately assess 
safety and hazards of chemicals and products and that refine, reduce, 
and replace animal use. The ICCVAM Authorization Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
285l-3, available at http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/docs/about_docs/PL106545.pdf) establishes ICCVAM as a permanent interagency committee 
of the NIEHS under NICEATM. NICEATM administers ICCVAM and provides 
scientific and operational support for ICCVAM-related activities. 
NICEATM and ICCVAM work collaboratively to evaluate new and improved 
test methods applicable to the needs of federal agencies. SACATM is a 
federally chartered advisory committee that provides advice to NICEATM, 
ICCVAM, and NIEHS on ICCVAM and NICEATM activities. Additional 
information about ICCVAM and NICEATM can be found at the following Web 
site: http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov. Information about SACATM is 
available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/167.

    Dated: April 20, 2007.
Samuel H. Wilson,
Deputy Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 
and National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. E7-8290 Filed 4-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P