[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 14 (Friday, January 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 4316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1511]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Health Services Research and Development Service Merit Review 
Board; Notice of Meeting

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under Public 
Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that a meeting of the 
Health Services Research and Development Service Merit Review Board 
will be held March 2-4, 2009, at the Crowne Plaza San Diego, 2270 Hotel 
Circle North, San Diego, CA. Various subcommittees of the Board will 
meet. Each subcommittee meeting of the Merit Review Board will be open 
to the public the first day for approximately one half-hour from 8 a.m. 
until 8:30 a.m. to cover administrative matters and to discuss the 
general status of the program. The remaining portion of the meetings 
will be closed. The closed portion of each meeting will involve 
discussion, examination, reference to, and oral review of the research 
proposals and critiques.
    The purpose of the Board is to review research and development 
applications involving the measurement and evaluation of health care 
services, the testing of new methods of health care delivery and 
management, and nursing research. Applications are reviewed for 
scientific and technical merit. Recommendations regarding funding are 
submitted to the Chief Research and Development Officer.
    On March 2, the subcommittee on Nursing Research Initiative will 
convene from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On March 3-4, five subcommittees on 
Health Services Research A through E will convene from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    After the subcommittees meet, there will be a debriefing provided 
to members of the Health Services Research & Development Scientific 
Merit Review Board. The purposes of the debriefing are to discuss the 
outcomes of the review sessions and to ensure the integrity and 
consistency of the review process.
    During the closed portion of each meeting, discussion and 
recommendations will include qualifications of the personnel conducting 
the studies (the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly 
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy), as well as research 
information (the premature disclosure of which would likely compromise 
significantly the implementation of proposed agency action regarding 
such research projects). As provided by subsection 10(d) of Public Law 
92-463, as amended by Public Law 94-409, closing portions of each 
meeting is in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) and (9)(B).
    Those who plan to attend the open session should contact Ms. Rita 
Lysik, Scientific Merit Review Program Manager (124R), Health Services 
Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, at least five days before 
the meeting. For further information, please call (202) 461-1521.

    By Direction of the Secretary.

    Dated: January 16, 2009.
E. Philip Riggin,
Committee Management Officer.
 [FR Doc. E9-1511 Filed 1-22-09; 8:45 am]
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