[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 243 (Monday, December 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78659-78660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32308]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Solicitation of Written Comments on the Draft Report and Draft 
Recommendations of the Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination 
Subgroup for Consideration by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee 
on Achieving the Healthy People 2020 Annual Coverage Goals for 
Influenza Vaccination in Healthcare Personnel

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, National 
Vaccine Program Office.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) was established 
in 1987 to comply with Title XXI of the Public Health Service Act (Pub. 
L. 99-660) (Sec.  2105) (42 U.S. Code 300aa-5 (PDF--78 KB)). Its 
purpose is to advise and make recommendations to the Director of the 
National Vaccine Program on matters related to program 
responsibilities. The Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) has been 
designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as the 
Director of the National Vaccine Program. The ASH has charged the NVAC 
with developing recommended strategies for annually achieving 90% 
influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel, as stated in 
the Healthy People 2020 goals. The Healthcare Personnel Influenza 
Vaccination Subgroup (HCPIVS), a subgroup of the NVAC Adult 
Immunization Working Group (AWIG), was established to address this 
charge on behalf of the NVAC. A draft report and draft recommendations 
have been developed by the HCPIVS for consideration by the NVAC and 
will be deliberated on by the NVAC when developing NVAC's final 
recommendations to the ASH. The National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) 
is soliciting public comment on the Healthcare Personnel Influenza 
Vaccination Subgroup draft report and draft recommendations for 
increasing vaccination of healthcare personnel to meet the Healthy 
People 2020 goals. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to 
submit their comments on the draft report and draft recommendations. It 
is anticipated that the draft report and draft recommendations, as 
revised with consideration given to public comment and stakeholder 
input, will be presented in February 2012 to the NVAC for deliberation 
and decision on their final recommendations.

DATES: Comments for consideration by the NVAC should be received no 
later than 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, January 16, 2012.

ADDRESSES: 
    (1) The draft report and draft recommendations are available on the 
web at http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/subgroups/healthcare_personnel_influenza_vacc_subgroup.html.
    (2) Electronic responses are preferred and may be addressed to: 
[email protected].
    (3) Written responses should be addressed to: National Vaccine 
Program Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 733G.3, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: 
Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination c/o Jennifer Gordon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Gordon, Ph.D., National 
Vaccine Program Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 
200 Independence Ave. SW., Room 733G.3, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: 
Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination, telephone (202) 205-5673; 
fax (202) 260-1165; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 78660]]

I. Background

    The National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) is located within the 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office of the 
Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NVPO provides 
leadership and fosters collaboration among the various Federal agencies 
involved in vaccine and immunization activities. These coordinated 
efforts are aimed to achieve the strategic goals outlined in the 
National Vaccine Plan. The National Vaccine Plan provides a framework, 
including goals, objectives, and strategies, for pursuing the 
prevention of infectious diseases through immunizations. The NVPO also 
supports the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC). The NVAC 
advises and makes recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for Health 
(ASH) in his capacity as the Director of National Vaccine Program on 
matters related to vaccine program responsibilities.
    In response to historically low influenza vaccination rates in 
healthcare personnel, the ASH charged NVAC with developing recommended 
strategies for annually achieving 90% influenza vaccination coverage 
among healthcare personnel, as stated in the Healthy People 2020 goals. 
The Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination Subgroup (HCPIVS), a 
subgroup of the NVAC Adult Immunization Working Group (AWIG), was 
established to address this charge on behalf of the NVAC. The HCPIVS 
consists of a broad range of stakeholders including representatives 
from a variety of medical and public health agencies and professional 
organizations. The HCPIVS members have deliberated on a number of 
scientific findings, position statements, and presentations that 
examine issues pertaining to influenza vaccination in healthcare 
personnel. Through discussion and careful review, the HCPIVS has 
developed draft recommendations for consideration by the NVAC to 
achieve the charge, as noted above.
    The draft report describes the importance of influenza as a public 
health issue, the importance of protecting vulnerable patients from 
influenza infection, and the importance of influenza immunization as 
part of a comprehensive influenza infection control program for 
protecting both healthcare personnel and patients against influenza 
infections. From these findings and conclusions, HCPIVS has developed 
draft recommendations that support strategies which have shown success 
in improving influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel.
    NVPO is seeking comments on these draft recommendations from a 
variety of stakeholders, including the general public, for 
consideration by the NVAC as they develop their final recommendations 
to the ASH. Comments received will be available for public viewing on 
the NVAC Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination Subgroup site 
located on the NVPO Web site http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/subgroups/healthcare_personnel_influenza_vacc_subgroup.html.

II. Request for Comment

    NVPO, on behalf of the NVAC Healthcare Personnel Influenza 
Vaccination Subgroup, requests input on the draft report and draft 
recommendations http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/subgroups/healthcare_personnel_influenza_vacc_subgroup.html.
    In addition to general comments, NVPO is seeking input on 
additional proven strategies and/or potential barriers to achieving the 
Healthy People 2020 annual goal of 90% influenza vaccine coverage among 
healthcare personnel that are not addressed in the NVAC Healthcare 
Personnel Influenza Vaccination Subgroup draft report and draft 
recommendations. Please limit comments to 6 pages.

III. Potential Responders

    NVPO invites input from a broad range of individuals and 
organizations that have interests in influenza vaccination coverage in 
Healthcare Personnel as an important patient safety measure. Examples 
of potential responders include, but are not limited to, the following:

--General public;
--Advocacy groups and public interest organizations;
--State and local governments;
--State and local public health departments;
--Healthcare professional societies and organizations;
--Healthcare organizations.

    When responding, please self-identify with any of the above or 
other categories (include all that apply) and your name. All comments 
submitted will be made publicly available. Anonymous submissions will 
not be considered and will not have their comments posted.
    Written submissions should not exceed 6 pages. Any information you 
submit will be made public. Consequently, do not send proprietary, 
commercial, financial, business, confidential, trade secret, or 
personal information that you do not wish to be made public.

IV. Public Access

    Comments on the draft report and draft recommendations will be 
available to the public on the NVPO Web site at: http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/subgroups/healthcare_personnel_influenza_vacc_subgroup.html.
    You may access public comments received by going to the above Web 
site.

    Dated: November 07, 2011.
Bruce Gellin,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Director, National Vaccine 
Program Office.
[FR Doc. 2011-32308 Filed 12-16-11; 8:45 am]
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