[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 115 (Thursday, June 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35698-35699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14499]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns 
and Children

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of Request for Nominations of Non-Voting Secretary's 
Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children 
(SACHDNC) members to serve as representatives of organizations or 
interest groups.

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SUMMARY: HRSA is requesting applications to fill three (3) vacancies 
for non-voting organizational representatives on the SACHDNC.

    Authority: Section 1111 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, 
42 U.S.C. 300b-10, as amended. The SACHDNC also is governed by the 
provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), and 
41 CFR part 102-3, which sets forth standards for the formation and 
use of advisory committees.

DATES: The agency must receive written applications from nominees 
(including a letter of support from an appropriate official of the 
organization with which affiliated) or the nominee's organization, on 
or before August 1, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit written applications to Sara Copeland, M.D., 
Designated Federal Official (DFO), SACHDNC; and, Chief, Genetic 
Services Branch, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and 
Services Administration, Room 18A-19, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857. Applications may also be sent to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debi Sarkar, M.P.H., Genetic Services 
Branch, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, at [email protected] or 
(301) 443-1080. A copy of the SACHDNC Charter and list of the current 
membership may be obtained by contacting Ms. Sarkar or by accessing the 
SACHDNC Web site at http://www.hrsa.gov/advisorycommittees/mchbadvisory/heritabledisorders/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SACHDNC is directed to review and report 
regularly on newborn and childhood screening practices for heritable 
disorders and recommend improvements in the national newborn and 
childhood heritable screening programs.
    The SACHDNC provides the Secretary with recommendations, advice, 
and technical information regarding the application of technologies, 
policies, guidelines, and standards for: (a) Effectively reducing 
morbidity and mortality in newborns and children having, or at risk 
for, heritable disorders; and (b) enhancing the ability of the State 
and local health agencies to provide for newborn and child screening, 
counseling, and health care services for newborns and children having, 
or at risk for, heritable disorders.
    Specifically, HRSA is requesting applications for three (3) non-
voting organizational representatives to serve on the SACHDNC: Two (2) 
at large representatives of a public health constituency, medical 
professional

[[Page 35699]]

society or national advocacy organization and one (1) representative of 
a public health professional organization. Non-voting representatives 
provide a perspective unique to the SACHDNC based on their 
organizations' or interest groups' subject area of expertise, and each 
nominee selection is based on the organization's/interest group's 
mission and relevancy to the SACHDNC's purpose (e.g., primary care, 
pediatrics, newborn screening, genetics and other relevant specialty 
expertise). Eligible organizations should represent broad 
constituencies affected or impacted by the work of the SACHDNC, as 
noted in the SACHDNC Charter.
    Applicants eligible for consideration include representatives of 
the following organizations: (a) Medical, technical, public health, or 
scientific organizations with special expertise in the field of 
heritable disorders or (b) organizations that provide screening, 
counseling, testing, or specialty services for newborns and children at 
risk for heritable disorders. Organizations will also be chosen based 
on perspectives and expertise not currently represented, or with 
expiring terms, that serve to increase the knowledge base of the 
SACHDNC.
    Applicants are requested to submit a written application to the 
DFO. Applications must contain the following:
     Letter of nomination stating the organization's:
    [cir] Name and mission statement;
    [cir] Outline of the perspective and expertise provided by the 
nominated organization and why this perspective and expertise would 
benefit the SACHDNC; and
    [cir] Description of how the SACHDNC's work affects and/or impacts 
the nominated organization and its constituency.
     Contact information: Point of contact name, address, 
telephone number, and Web site of the organization;
     Portfolio of organizational projects, programs and 
products that are of importance to the SACHDNC's work;
     Organization's commitment to provide expert input into the 
decision-making process of the SACHDNC;
     Organization's detailed information concerning any 
possible conflicts of interest relative to both the organization and 
the proposed organizational representative (e.g., current or 
anticipated employment, consultancies, research grants, or contracts);
     Organization's commitment to support a representative to 
attend all SACHDNC meetings;
     Organization's commitment to ensure active contribution to 
and dissemination of SACHDNC activities and recommendations to its 
representative constituencies;
     Statement affirming that the organization: (a) Wishes to 
serve as a representative to the SACHDNC, and (b) has no conflict of 
interest that would preclude informing the SACHDNC in a fair and 
balanced manner;
     Organization's description clearly identifying how the 
organizational perspective and expertise would serve to increase the 
knowledge base of the SACHDNC; and
     SACHDNC's professional impact on the organization and its 
stakeholders.

Please submit written nominations no later than August 1, 2012. The two 
(2) at large organizational representatives will be invited to 
contribute to the SACHDNC for terms of not more than 2 years with an 
opportunity to re-apply to serve after the 2-year term has expired. The 
public health professional organization will be invited to have a 
representative contribute to the SACHDNC for terms of not more than 4 
years with an opportunity to re-apply to serve after the 4-year term 
has expired. Selected organizations will have their representatives 
begin serving their term in January 2013.
    Whenever possible, organizational representatives to the SACHDNC 
shall have expertise in dealing with heritable disorders and genetic 
diseases affecting racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse 
populations of newborns served by State newborn screening programs. HHS 
will ensure that SACHDNC members equitably reflect geographical 
location and gender distribution, provided that Committee effectiveness 
would not be impaired. Appointments shall be made without regard to 
age, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, and cultural, religious, 
or socioeconomic status.

    Dated: June 7, 2012.
Reva Harris,
Acting Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination.
[FR Doc. 2012-14499 Filed 6-13-12; 8:45 am]
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