[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15960-15961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05773]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Request for Information on the FY 2013-2018 Strategic Plan for 
the Office of Disease Prevention

SUMMARY: The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to seek 
broad public input on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-2018 Strategic Plan for 
the Office of Disease Prevention (ODP), National Institutes of Health 
(NIH).

DATES: To ensure consideration, responses must be received by April 14, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be submitted electronically using the web-
based form available at http://prevention.nih.gov/aboutus/strategic_plan/rfi.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct all inquiries to Wilma 
Peterman Cross, M.S.; Senior Public Health Advisor, Office of Disease 
Prevention, National Institutes of Health; phone: 301-496-1508; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The mission of ODP is to improve the public 
health by increasing the scope, quality, dissemination, and impact of 
prevention research supported by the NIH. ODP will fulfill this mission 
by providing leadership for the development, coordination, and 
implementation of prevention research in collaboration with the NIH 
Institutes and Centers (ICs) and other partners. The Office is 
responsible for advising the Director, NIH, regarding prevention 
research issues, actions, and activities. The Office also provides 
overall guidance to the ICs on biomedical programs that seek to improve 
the nation's health through research, training, knowledge translation, 
and public education as they relate to health promotion and disease 
prevention.
    Prevention research at the NIH encompasses research designed both 
to promote health and to prevent the onset of disease, disorders, or 
injuries and the progression of asymptomatic disease. Prevention 
research targets biology and genetics, individual behavior, factors in 
the social and physical environments, and health services; and it 
informs and evaluates health-related policies and regulations. 
Prevention research includes:
     Identification and assessment of risk and protective 
factors.
     Screening and identification of individuals and groups at 
risk.
     Development and evaluation of interventions to reduce 
risk.
     Translation and dissemination of effective preventive 
interventions into practice.
     Development of research methods to support this work.
    The Office was established in 1986 in response to a directive in 
the Health Research Extension Act of 1985. With increased attention on 
the application of prevention research nationally and the recent 
reorganization of ODP, the Office has embarked on an extensive planning 
process to develop a strategic plan for FY 2013-2018.

Information Requested

    This RFI is intended to gather broad public input on the strategic 
priorities to be included in the plan and other suggestions on how to 
enhance the prevention research portfolio at the NIH. The ODP invites 
input from prevention researchers in academia and industry; from health 
care professionals, patient advocates and advocacy organizations, 
scientific or professional organizations, federal agencies; and from 
other interested members of the public. Organizations are strongly 
encouraged to submit a single response that reflects the views of their 
organization and membership as a whole.
    Your perspectives can include, but are not limited to, the 
following topics as they relate to the six draft strategic priorities 
listed below:
     Suggested changes, additions, or deletions to the list of 
strategic priorities
     Recommended measurable objectives associated with an 
individual priority
     Appropriate benchmarks for gauging progress toward each 
recommended objective.
    Strategic Priority #1: Systematically monitor NIH investments in 
prevention research and the progress and results of that research.
    Strategic Priority #2: Identify and promote prevention research 
areas that deserve expanded effort and investment by the NIH.
    Strategic Priority #3: Promote the use of the best available 
methods in prevention research and support the development of new and 
innovative approaches.
    Strategic Priority #4: Encourage development of collaborative 
prevention research projects and facilitate coordination of such 
projects across the NIH and with other public and private entities.
    Strategic Priority #5: Identify and promote the use of effective 
evidence-based interventions.
    Strategic Priority #6: Increase the visibility of prevention 
research at the NIH and across the country.
    In addition to the strategic priorities, the ODP welcomes 
suggestions on how to enhance the prevention research portfolio at the 
NIH:
    1. Suggested changes to the approach used by the NIH to develop 
funding opportunity announcements that could improve the quality of 
prevention research supported by the NIH.
    2. Suggested changes to the approach used by the NIH to review 
applications that could improve the quality of prevention research 
supported by the NIH.
    3. Suggested changes to the approach used by the NIH in managing 
funded projects that could improve the quality of prevention research 
supported by the NIH.

How To Submit a Response

    To ensure consideration, responses must be received by April 14, 
2013, and should be submitted electronically using the web-based form 
available at http://prevention.nih.gov/aboutus/strategic_plan/rfi.aspx. The web form will provide confirmation of response

[[Page 15961]]

submission, but respondents will not receive individualized feedback. 
All respondents are encouraged to sign up for the ODP email list at 
http://prevention-nih.org/subscribe to receive information related to 
Office activities, including updates on the development and release of 
the final strategic plan. Responses to this RFI are voluntary and may 
be submitted anonymously. Please do not include any personally 
identifiable or other information that you do not wish to make public. 
Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should 
not be included in responses. Comments submitted will be compiled for 
discussion and incorporated into the ODP strategic plan as appropriate. 
Any personal identifiers (personal names, email addresses, etc.) will 
be removed when responses are compiled. This RFI is for informational 
and planning purposes only and is not a solicitation for applications 
or an obligation on the part of the United States Government to provide 
support for any ideas identified in response to it. Please note that 
the U.S. Government will not pay for the preparation of any information 
submitted or for use of that information.

    Dated: February 5, 2013.
Francis S. Collins,
Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2013-05773 Filed 3-12-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P