[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 208 (Thursday, October 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66734-66735]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27823]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 
Draft 2012-2016 Strategic Plan

AGENCY: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication 
Disorders NIDCD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of 
Health and Human Services (DHHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication 
Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is requesting 
public comment on the draft 2012-2016 NIDCD Strategic Plan. The NIDCD 
supports and conducts research and research training in the areas of 
hearing and balance; smell and taste; and voice, speech, and language. 
The Strategic Plan serves as a guide to the NIDCD in prioritizing its 
research investment, illustrates the current state-of-the-science, and 
highlights recent advances in the communication sciences. The draft 
Plan presents a series of goals and objectives that represent the most 
promising research needs within the NIDCD's mission areas. The draft 
Plan is available for download at: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/about/plans/strategic/pages/publiccomments.aspx.

DATES: Comments will be accepted through November 23, 2011.

[[Page 66735]]


ADDRESSES: Comments must be submitted electronically via the Web-based 
form at: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/about/plans/strategic/pages/publiccomments.aspx. The Web-based form accepts text but cannot accept 
attachments. You will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging 
receipt of your response, but will not receive individualized feedback 
from NIDCD on any comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Specific questions about this Notice 
should be directed to: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NIDCD's mission is to conduct and 
support biomedical research, behavioral research, and research training 
in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, 
taste, voice, speech, and language. The institute also conducts and 
supports research and research training related to disease prevention 
and health promotion; addresses special biomedical and behavioral 
problems associated with people who have communication impairments or 
disorders; and supports efforts to create devices that substitute for 
lost and impaired sensory and communication function. To accomplish 
these goals, the NIDCD manages a broad portfolio of both basic and 
clinical research. The portfolio is organized into three program areas: 
Hearing and balance; smell and taste; and voice, speech, and language. 
The three program areas seek to answer fundamental scientific questions 
about normal function and disorders and to identify patient-oriented 
scientific discoveries for preventing, screening, diagnosing, and 
treating disorders of human communication.
    The draft 2012-2016 NIDCD Strategic Plan has been developed over 
the past 12 months by NIDCD staff in consultation with scientific 
experts, the National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 
Advisory Council, and the public. (Details of the development process 
are included in Appendix C of the draft Plan.) The goals listed in the 
draft Plan are an assessment of research areas that present the 
greatest scientific opportunities and public health needs over the next 
five years for the three program areas: Hearing and balance; smell and 
taste; and voice, speech and language.
    The NIDCD has identified four Priority Areas that have the 
potential to increase our understanding of the normal and disordered 
processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and 
language and to further our knowledge in human communication sciences. 
They are:
     Priority Area 1--Understanding Normal Function: Deepen our 
understanding of the mechanisms underlying normal function of the 
systems of human communication. By defining what is normal in both 
animal models and humans, we can better understand mechanisms of 
disease.
     Priority Area 2--Understanding Diseases and Disorders: 
Increase our knowledge of the mechanisms of diseases, disorders, and 
dysfunctions that impair human communication and health. Understanding 
mechanisms that underlie diseases and disorders is an important step in 
developing better prevention and treatment strategies.
     Priority Area 3--Improving Diagnosis, Treatment, and 
Prevention: Develop, test, and improve diagnosis, treatment, and 
prevention of diseases, disorders, and dysfunctions of human 
communication and health. Diagnosis considers normal function and 
provides targets for prevention and treatment. Improvements in 
prevention and treatment lead to better outcomes with fewer side 
effects.
     Priority Area 4--Improving Outcomes for Human 
Communication: Accelerate the translation of research discoveries into 
practice; increase access to health care; and enhance the delivery, 
quality, and effectiveness of care to improve personal and public 
health. Scientifically-validated prevention and treatment models will 
lead to better personal and public health only if they are translated 
effectively into routine practice.
    The goals presented in the Plan are a guide for:
     Scientists: To better understand the directions that NIDCD 
research may take in the future;
     The NIDCD: To assist in developing funding opportunity 
announcements and to identify projects for high program priority 
nomination; and
     The Public: To understand the state of communication 
sciences and to discover the scientific breakthroughs that are possible 
with sustained investments in biomedical research.
    Responses to this Notice are voluntary. Proprietary, classified, 
confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your 
response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary 
technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). Names and 
affiliation (when submitted) may be subject to release in response to 
requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.
    This Notice is for information and planning purposes only and 
should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the 
part of the Federal Government, or the NIH. The NIH does not intend to 
award a grant or contract to pay for the preparation of any information 
submitted or for the NIH's use of such information. No basis for claims 
against the NIH shall arise as a result of a response to this request 
for information or the NIH's use of such information as part of the 
NIDCD Strategic Plan.
    The NIDCD anticipates that the finalized plan will be published on 
the NIDCD Web site in January 2012.

    Dated: October 20, 2011.
James F. Battey,
Director, NIDCD, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2011-27823 Filed 10-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P