[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 245 (Friday, December 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 77699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30150]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Notice of the Development of a Web-Based System Used To Request 
Meetings Regarding Medical Countermeasures to Naturally Occurring or 
Manmade Threats

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is 
announcing the availability of a new Web-based system, 
MedicalCountermeasures.gov. MedicalCountermeasures.gov will enable 
external stakeholders to request meetings with personnel from the 
organizations that comprise the Public Health Emergency Medical 
Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) regarding medical countermeasures 
to threats to public health, either naturally occurring or manmade. The 
goal of these meetings is to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to 
share information regarding medical countermeasures. The system can be 
accessed from the Web site https://www.medicalcountermeasures.gov/RequestMeeting.aspx.
    During the BioShield Stakeholders Workshop, HHS Secretary Michael 
O. Leavitt announced that HHS would develop a Web based system 
``through which those in industry and the research and development 
community can reach the people they need in the federal government, 
whether they're looking at a basic level of research or are focused on 
end-stage development.'' In fulfillment of this promise, HHS has 
developed MedicalCountermeasures.gov.
    MedicalCountermeasures.gov enables external stakeholders to request 
a meeting with federal representatives from participating PHEMCE 
agencies regarding medical countermeasures they are developing for use 
in response to a public health emergency. The information will then be 
routed to personnel within the relevant PHEMCE agencies, which 
currently include: The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Office 
of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), 
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA). MedicalCountermeasures.gov also provides information on 
upcoming and past conferences; procurements and grants; regulatory 
information; and strategic plans from throughout the PHEMCE agencies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Jarrett, M.A., Office of the 
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human 
Services, 330 Independence Ave., SW., Room G640, Washington, DC 20201; 
phone: 202-260-1200; e-mail address: [email protected].

    Dated: December 9, 2008.
W. Craig Vanderwagen,
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health 
and Human Services.
 [FR Doc. E8-30150 Filed 12-18-08; 8:45 am]
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