[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 95 (Thursday, May 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 28848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-11582]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and 
Availability

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, the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services is hereby giving notice that 
the Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability 
(ACBTSA) will hold a meeting. The meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: The meeting will take place Wednesday, June 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m. and Thursday, June 6, 2013, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Fishers Lane Conference Center, Terrace Level, 5635 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. James Berger, Designated Federal 
Officer, ACBTSA, and Senior Advisor for Blood and Tissue Safety Policy, 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and 
Human Services, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 250, Rockville, MD, 20852. 
Phone: (240) 453-8803; Fax (240) 453-8456; Email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ACBTSA shall provide advice to the 
Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for Health. The Committee 
advises on a range of policy issues to include: (1) Identification of 
public health issues through surveillance of blood, and tissue safety 
issues with national biovigilance data tools; (2) identification of 
public health issues that effect availability of blood, blood products, 
and tissues; (3) broad public health, ethical and legal issues related 
to the safety of blood, blood products, and tissues; (4) the impact of 
various economic factors (e.g., product cost and supply) on safety and 
availability of blood, blood products, and tissues; (5) risk 
communications related to blood transfusion and tissue transplantation; 
and (6) identification of infectious disease transmission issues for 
blood, organs, blood stem cells and tissues. The Advisory Committee has 
met regularly since its establishment in 1997.
    At the June 2013 meeting, the ACBTSA will hear updates on recent 
activities of the Department and its agencies in support of previous 
Committee recommendations.
    In the past, the Committee has heard and made recommendations 
regarding policy implications related to emerging research developments 
involving blood and tissue products available for use during public 
health emergencies. The Committee noted that a nationally coordinated 
system to manage tissue supplies and distributions during a disaster 
does not exist. Past recommendations made by the ACBTSA may be viewed 
at www.hhs.gov/bloodsafety.
    The focus of the meeting will be to address whether the current 
blood center system in the United States is designed for optimal 
service delivery in the era of health care reform. In particular, the 
Committee hopes to address the services currently performed by blood 
centers that are essential to the U.S. health care system, how 
anticipated changes in health care may affect blood centers and the 
provision of services, as well as how the field of transfusion medicine 
will be defined in the next decade.
    The public will have the opportunity to present their views to the 
Committee during a public comment session scheduled for June 6, 2013. 
Comments will be limited to five minutes per speaker and must be 
pertinent to the discussion. Pre-registration is required for 
participation in the public comment session. Any member of the public 
who would like to participate in this session is encouraged to contact 
the Designated Federal Officer at his/her earliest convenience to 
register for time (limited to 5 minutes) and registration must be prior 
to close of business on June 3, 2013. If it is not possible to provide 
30 copies of the material to be distributed, then individuals are 
requested to provide a minimum of one (1) copy of the document(s) to be 
distributed prior to the close of business on June 3, 2013. It is also 
requested that any member of the public who wishes to provide comments 
to the Committee utilizing electronic data projection to submit the 
necessary material to the Designated Federal Officer prior to the close 
of business on June 3, 2013.

    Dated: May 9, 2013.
James J. Berger,
Designated Federal Official, ACBTSA and Senior Advisor for Blood and 
Tissue Safety Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-11582 Filed 5-15-13; 8:45 am]
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