[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58143-58144]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23041]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2012-0011]


Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (ITFAR): An 
Update of A Public Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial 
Resistance

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH), all 
located within the Department of Health and Human Services, announce a 
public meeting and opening of a docket concerning antimicrobial 
resistance. The purpose of the meeting is twofold. First, the meeting 
will provide an opportunity for public comment on progress made by 
Federal agencies in accomplishing activities outlined in ``A Public 
Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance (Action Plan)''. 
Secondly, the meeting will solicit input from the public regarding the 
Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (ITFAR) activities 
including the Annual Progress Report and the Action Plan. The meeting 
will take place at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington, DC, 
on Thursday, November 15, 2012, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. After 
welcome and introductory remarks, the meeting will be open for comments 
from the public. The agenda is subject to change without notice. 
Persons wishing to participate, including those who wish to make an 
oral presentation, must register in advance and provide a copy of their 
presentations by 12:00 p.m. EDT, Thursday, October 25, 2012.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Thursday, November 15, 2012 
in Washington, DC. The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. and end no later 
than 3:30 p.m. Written public comment will be accepted through 5 p.m. 
EST, November 5, 2012.
    Deadline for Registration for all Attendees: All attendees must 
register by 12:00 p.m. EDT, Thursday, October 25, 2012.
    Deadline for Requests for Special Accommodation: Special 
accommodation requests must be submitted by 12 p.m. EDT, Thursday, 
October 25, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Department of Health 
and Human Services, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 800, 200 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201. http://www.hhs.gov/about/hhhmap.html. Telephone: 1-877-696-6775.
    Participants should be aware that the meeting location is a Federal 
government building; therefore, Federal security measures are 
applicable. Please see Building and Security Guidelines for additional 
information on security requirements.
    You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2012-0011 by 
any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Marsha Jones, Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., 
Mailstop C-12, Atlanta, GA 30333.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number. All relevant comments received will be posted 
without change to http://regulations.gov, including any

[[Page 58144]]

personal information provided. For access to the docket to read 
background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marsha A. Jones, Office of 
Antimicrobial Resistance, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
1600 Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop C-12, Atlanta, GA 30333; telephone 
404-639-4111; Email [email protected].
    Registration and Special Accommodations: Persons wishing to 
participate or who need special accommodations or both must register at 
[email protected] or by contacting Marsha Jones at [email protected]. 
See Registration to Attend or Participate in the Public Meeting for 
instructions on how to submit electronic notices of participation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    The Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (ITFAR) was 
created in 1999 in recognition of the increasing importance of 
antimicrobial resistance (AR) as a public health threat. The ITFAR 
coordinates the activities of federal agencies in addressing 
antimicrobial resistance (AR) and is co-chaired by HHS/CDC, HHS/FDA, 
and HHS/NIH. Other HHS Task Force members include the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services (CMS), the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA), and the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary of 
Health (HHS/OASH). Non-HHS Task Force members include the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
    In 2001, the ITFAR developed an initial Action Plan to combat AR. 
This Plan, titled ``A Public Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial 
Resistance'', outlined specific goals, actions, and implementation 
steps important for addressing the problem of antimicrobial resistance. 
Action items were organized into four focus areas: Surveillance, 
Prevention and Control, Research, and Product Development. The Action 
Plan and Annual Report are available at www.regulations.gov docket 
number CDC-2012-0011. In 2012, a revised version of the Action Plan 
addressing the evolving threat of antimicrobial resistance was 
published. These background documents are also included in the docket.

2. Public Comment and Meeting

    The public meeting process provides an opportunity for the public 
to comment on the activities of the ITFAR to date. In addition, the 
ITFAR invites written comments or oral presentations by interested 
persons on the Annual Report as well as the four focus areas of the 
Action Plan: Surveillance, Prevention and Control, Research, and 
Product Development. Written comments should be submitted following the 
instructions provided in ADDRESSES.
    Comments and suggestions from the public on the Annual Report or 
any of the focus areas of the Action Plan will be reviewed and 
carefully considered by the ITFAR. The public should be aware that this 
meeting agenda does not include development of consensus positions, 
guidelines, interrogatories, or discussions or endorsement of specific 
commercial products.

3. Registration To Attend or Participate in the Public Meeting

    Participants are asked to preregister to ensure sufficient space. 
Seating capacity is limited to 200 persons. Those wishing to make an 
oral presentation during the open public comment period of the hearing 
should state your intention to present on your registration submission. 
To register, please send an electronic mail message to 
[email protected] by 12 p.m. EDT, Thursday, October 25, 2012. Your 
email should include your name, email address, and a written statement 
identifying each focus area you wish to address and the approximate 
time requested to make your presentation. Organizations should provide 
this information as well as the names and email addresses of all 
participants. Because of time restrictions, the number of presenters 
will be limited to the first 12 to 15 registrants submitting requests 
to make presentations. The final number of presenters will be 
determined by the approximate time requested by each presenter. If the 
number and time requested for presentations exceed the time allotted 
for public comment, the length of presentations may be limited; 
registered presenters will be notified of the approximate time 
scheduled for their presentation prior to the meeting. All other 
comments may be submitted in writing following the instructions listed 
in ADDRESSES.

4. Building and Security Guidelines

    The Hubert H. Humphrey Building is the headquarters of the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services and is located at the foot of 
Capitol Hill at 200 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20201. The 
Humphrey Building is served by Metrorail and Metrobus. The closest 
Metrorail station is the Federal Center SW station, which is served by 
the Blue and Orange lines.
    The meeting is being held in a Federal government building; 
therefore, Federal security measures are applicable. In planning your 
arrival, please take account of the need to clear security. All 
visitors must enter through the HHS Hubert H. Humphrey Building main 
entrance and present government-issued photo identification (e.g., a 
valid Federal identification badge, state driver's license, state non-
driver's license, or passport).
    All persons entering the building must pass through a metal 
detector. Visitors are issued a visitor's ID wristband in the main 
lobby and are escorted in groups of five to the meeting room. All items 
brought to HHS are subject to inspection.

    Dated: September 13, 2012.
Tanja Popovic,
Deputy Associate Director for Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2012-23041 Filed 9-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P