[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 4, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65610-65611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26272]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Notice of Meeting of the Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell 
Transplantation

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of Meeting of the Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell 
Transplantation.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Public Law 92-463, the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice is hereby given of the 
third meeting of the Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell 
Transplantation (ACBSCT), Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS). The meeting will be held from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
on December 15, 2008,

[[Page 65611]]

and from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on December 16, 2008, at the Hyatt 
Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. 
The meeting will be open to the public; however, seating is limited and 
pre-registration is encouraged (see below).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Public Law 109-129, 42 U.S.C. 
274k (section 379 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended) the 
ACBSCT was established to advise the Secretary of HHS and the 
Administrator, HRSA, on matters related to the activities of the C.W. 
Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program (Program) and the National Cord 
Blood Inventory (NCBI) Program. ACBSCT is composed of up to 25 members, 
including the Chair, serving as Special Government Employees. The 
current membership includes representatives of marrow donor centers and 
marrow transplant centers; representatives of cord blood banks and 
participating birthing hospitals; recipients of a bone marrow 
transplant; recipients of a cord blood transplant; persons who require 
such transplants; family members of such a recipient or family members 
of a patient who has requested the assistance of the Program in 
searching for an unrelated donor of bone marrow or cord blood; persons 
with expertise in bone marrow and cord blood transplantation; persons 
with expertise in typing, matching, and transplant outcome data 
analysis; persons with expertise in the social sciences; basic 
scientists with expertise in the biology of adult stem cells; 
ethicists; hematology and transfusion medicine researchers with 
expertise in adult blood stem cells; persons with expertise in cord 
blood processing; and members of the general public.
    The Council will hear reports from four of the ACBSCT Work Groups: 
Cord Blood Accreditation Organization and Recognition Process, Need for 
Public Funding for Required Data Documentation, Scientific Factors 
Necessary to Define a Cord Blood Unit as High Quality, and Program 
Confidentiality/Policies for Cord Blood Donors. The Council also will 
hear presentations and discussions on Product Labeling; the Blood Stem 
Cell Transplant Physician Shortage; CMS Evaluation of Coverage for 
Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Models for Cord Blood Donor Recruitment; and 
the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research 
update on several research activities.
    The draft meeting agenda and a registration form will be available 
on November 17, 2008, on the HRSA's Program Web site at http://bloodcell.transplant.hrsa.gov/ABOUT/Advisory_Council/index.html. The 
completed registration form should be submitted by facsimile to 
Professional and Scientific Associates (PSA), the logistical support 
contractor for the meeting, at fax number (703) 234-1701 ATTN: Lilly 
Cho. Registration can also be completed electronically at https://www.team-psa.com/dot/fall2008/acbsct/. Individuals without access to 
the Internet who wish to register may call Lilly Cho with PSA at (703) 
234-1733.
    Individuals who plan to attend the meeting and need special 
assistance, such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable 
accommodations, should notify the ACBSCT Executive Secretary, Remy 
Aronoff, in advance of the meeting. Mr. Aronoff may be reached by 
telephone at 301-443-3264, e-mail: [email protected] or in 
writing at the address provided below. Management and support services 
for ACBSCT functions are provided by the Division of Transplantation, 
Healthcare Systems Bureau, Health Resources and Services 
Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Parklawn Building, Room 12C-06, 
Rockville, Maryland 20857; telephone number 301-443-7577.
    After the presentations and Council discussions, members of the 
public will have an opportunity to provide comments. Because of the 
Council's full agenda and the timeframe in which to cover the agenda 
topics, public comment will be limited. All public comments will be 
included in the record of the ACBSCT meeting. Meeting summary notes 
will be made available on the HRSA's Program Web site at http://bloodcell.transplant.hrsa.gov/ABOUT/Advisory_Council/index.html.

    Dated: October 28, 2008.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E8-26272 Filed 11-3-08; 8:45 am]
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