[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 208 (Friday, October 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65383-65384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26395]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Renewal of Charters for Certain Federal Advisory Committees

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 
amended (5 U.S.C. App), the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services is hereby announcing that the charters have been renewed for 
the following federal advisory committees for which Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Health provides management support: Chronic 
Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC); President's Council on 
Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (PCFSN); Secretary's Advisory Committee 
on Human Research Protections (SACHRP); and Advisory Committee on Blood 
Safety and Availability (ACBSA). Functioning as federal advisory 
committees, these committees are governed by the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Under FACA, the charter for a 
federal advisory committee must be renewed every two years in order for 
the committee to continue to operate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Olga B. Nelson, Committee Management 
Officer, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW., Room 714B; 
Washington, DC 20201; (202) 690-5205.

[[Page 65384]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CFSAC was established on September 5, 2002 
as a discretionary federal advisory committee. The Committee was 
established to advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the 
Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary for Health, on a broad range 
of topics including (1) The current state of knowledge and research 
about the epidemiology and risk factors relating to chronic fatigue 
syndrome (CFS), and identifying potential opportunities in these areas; 
(2) current and proposed diagnosis and treatment methods for chronic 
fatigue syndrome; and (3) development and implementation of programs to 
inform the public, health care professionals, and the biomedical, 
academic, and research communities about chronic fatigue syndrome 
advances.
    One amendment was proposed and approved for the new charter. The 
Committee structure has been expanded to include three non-voting 
liaison representative positions. These positions will be occupied by 
representatives from organizations that have interest in, and/or are 
concerned with, the issues of individuals with CFS. Individuals will be 
designated by their organizations to serve as non-voting liaison 
representatives for a term not to exceed two years. The designated 
federal officer (DFO) for CFSAC or designee will select the 
organizations to serve in the non-voting liaison representative 
positions. The non-voting liaison representatives will not receive 
compensation.
    On August 29, 2012, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
approved renewal of the CFSAC charter. The new charter was made 
effective and filed with the appropriate Congressional committees and 
the Library of Congress on September 5, 2012. Renewal of the CFSAC 
charter provides authorization for the Committee to continue to operate 
until September 5, 2014. A copy of the Committee charter is available 
on the CFSAC Web site at http://www.hhs.gov/advcomcfs.
    The PCFSN is a non-discretionary federal advisory committee. The 
PCFSN was established under Executive Order 13545, dated June 22, 2010. 
This authorizing directive was issued to amend the purpose, function, 
and name of the Council, which formerly operated as the President's 
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS). The scope of the 
Council was changed to include nutrition to bring attention to the 
importance of good nutrition with regular physical activity for 
maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The PCFSN is the only federal advisory 
committee that is focused solely on the promotion of physical activity, 
fitness, sports, and nutrition. Since the PCFSN was established by 
Presidential directive, appropriate action had to be taken by the 
President or agency head to authorize continuation of the PCFSN. The 
President issued Executive Order 13585, dated September 30, 2011, 
authorizing the PCFSN to continue to operate until September 30, 2013.
    No amendments were recommended for the PCFSN charter. The charter 
was approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and filed 
with the appropriate Congressional committees and the Library of 
Congress on September 10, 2012. A copy of the Council charter is 
available on the PCFSN Web site at http://fitness.gov.
    SACHRP is a discretionary federal advisory committee. SACHRP 
provides advice to the Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary for 
Health, on matters pertaining to the continuance and improvement of 
functions within the authority of the Department of Health and Human 
Services concerning protections for human subjects in research.
    No amendments were recommended for the SACHRP charter. On September 
21, 2012, the Secretary of Health and Human Services approved renewal 
of the SACHRP charter. The new charter was filed with the appropriate 
Congressional committees and the Library of Congress on October 1, 
2012. SACHRP is authorized to continue to operate until October 1, 
2014. A copy of the charter is available on the Committee Web site at 
http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/sachrp/.
    The ACBSA is a discretionary federal advisory committee. The 
Committee was established to provide advice to the Secretary, through 
the Assistant Secretary for Health, on a range of policy issues around 
the safety and availability of the blood supply and blood products.
    The following amendments were proposed and approved for the ACBSA 
charter: (1) The Committee title has been changed to Advisory Committee 
on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability (ACBTSA); (2) the scope of 
work to be performed by the Committee has been clarified. For solid 
organs and blood stem cells, the Committee's scope will be limited to 
policy issues related to donor derived infectious disease complications 
of transplantation; (3) the Committee's scope of activities and duties 
have been expanded to include tissues because the ACBTSA has 
responsibility for providing advice and making recommendations on 
transplantation; and (4) the Committee structure has been expanded to 
increase the number of official representative members to nine to allow 
representation from the American Association of Tissue Banks, the Eye 
Bank Association of America, and an organ procurement organization.
    On October 9, 2012, the new charter was approved by the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services and filed with the appropriate 
Congressional committees and the Library of Congress. ACBTSA is 
authorized to operate until October 9, 2014. A copy of the charter can 
be obtained on the ACBTSA Web site at http://www.hhs.gov/ash/bloodsafety/index.html.
    Copies of the charters for the designated committees also can be 
obtained by accessing the FACA database that is maintained by the 
Committee Management Secretariat under the General Services 
Administration. The Web site address for the FACA database is http://fido.gov/facadatabase.

    Dated: October 22, 2012.
Howard K. Koh,
Assistant Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 2012-26395 Filed 10-25-12; 8:45 am]
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