[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25136-25137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10015]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of 
Alternative Methods; Notice of Public Meeting; Request for Public Input

SUMMARY: The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of 
Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) will hold a public forum to share 
information and facilitate direct communication of ideas and 
suggestions from stakeholders. Interested persons may attend in person 
or via teleconference and time will be set aside for public statements 
and questions on the topics discussed.

DATES: Meeting: June 25, 2014, 1:00 p.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m. 
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
    Registration for Meeting: May 7, 2014 through June 11, 2014.
    Deadline for Submission of Oral Public Statements: June 11, 2014

ADDRESSES:
    Meeting Location: William H. Natcher Conference Center, National 
Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
    Meeting Web page: The preliminary agenda, registration, and other 
meeting materials are at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/41490.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Warren S. Casey, Director, 
National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of 
Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM); email: 
[email protected]; telephone: (919) 316-4729.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: ICCVAM promotes the development and validation of 
chemical safety testing methods that protect human health and the 
environment while replacing, reducing, or refining animal use.
    In 2013, ICCVAM published a draft plan (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvam-mission) focused on addressing advances in toxicological 
science while reflecting the needs and priorities of its partner 
regulatory agencies and improving communications with the public, 
including holding public forums to facilitate direct communication with 
its stakeholders.
    The first of these forums will be held on June 25, 2014, at the 
National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. The meeting will begin 
with presentations by NICEATM and ICCVAM members on current activities 
including (1) evaluation of nonanimal methods to identify potential 
skin sensitizers and eye irritants, (2) interactions with international 
validation organizations, and (3) revisions to ICCVAM processes. 
Following each presentation, there will be an opportunity for attendees 
to ask questions. The agenda also includes time for attendees to make 
public oral statements to inform ICCVAM on topics relevant to its 
mission and current activities.
    Preliminary Agenda and Other Meeting Information: The preliminary 
agenda, ICCVAM roster, background materials, and public statements 
submitted prior to the meeting will be posted at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/41490 to allow participation by remote attendees. 
Public statements will be distributed to NICEATM and ICCVAM members.
    Meeting and Registration: This meeting is open to the public with 
time scheduled for oral public statements and for questions following 
ICCVAM's and NICEATM's presentations; attendance is limited only by the 
space available. Participants are encouraged to register at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/41490 by June 11, 2014 to facilitate planning for 
appropriate meeting space. Interested individuals are encouraged to 
visit this Web page to stay abreast of the most current meeting 
information.
    Visitor and security information is available at http://www.nih.gov/about/visitor/index.htm. Individuals with disabilities who 
need accommodation to participate in this event should contact Dr. 
Elizabeth Maull at phone: (919) 316-4668 or email: [email protected]. 
TTY users should contact the Federal TTY Relay Service at 800-877-8339. 
Requests should be made at least five business days in advance of the 
event.
    Request for Oral Public Statements: Time will be allotted during 
the meeting for oral public statements with associated slides relevant 
to ICCVAM's mission and current activities. The number and length of 
presentations may be limited based on available time. Speakers are 
asked to submit a copy of their statement and/or associated slides by 
June 11, 2014 to allow time for posting to the meeting page and review 
by NICEATM and ICCVAM members. Submitters will be identified by their 
name and affiliation and/or sponsoring organization, if applicable. 
Persons submitting public statements and/or associated slides should 
include their name, affiliation (if any), mailing address, telephone, 
email, and sponsoring organization (if any) with the document. 
Registration for oral public statements will be available onsite, 
although onsite registration and time allotted for these statements may 
be limited based on the number of individuals who register for comments 
and available time.
    For remote participation, 50 teleconference lines will be available 
on a first-come, first-served basis. The teleconference access number 
will be provided to registrants by email prior to the meeting.
    Responses to this notice are voluntary. No proprietary, classified, 
confidential, or sensitive information should be included in comments 
submitted in response to this notice or during the meeting. This 
request for input is for planning purposes only and is not a 
solicitation for applications or an obligation on the part of the U.S. 
Government to provide support for any ideas identified in response to 
the request. Please note that the U.S. Government will not pay for the 
preparation of any information submitted or for its use of that 
information.
    Background Information on ICCVAM and NICEATM: ICCVAM is an 
interagency committee composed of representatives from 15 Federal 
regulatory and research agencies that require, use, generate, or 
disseminate toxicological and safety testing information. ICCVAM 
conducts technical evaluations of new, revised, and alternative safety 
testing methods and integrated testing strategies with regulatory 
applicability and promotes the scientific validation and regulatory 
acceptance of testing methods that both more accurately assess the 
safety and hazards of chemicals and products and replace, reduce, or 
refine (enhance animal well-being and lessen or avoid pain and 
distress) animal use.
    The ICCVAM Authorization Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 285l-3) establishes 
ICCVAM as a permanent interagency committee of the NIEHS and provides

[[Page 25137]]

the authority for ICCVAM involvement in activities relevant to the 
development of alternative test methods. ICCVAM acts to ensure that new 
and revised test methods are validated to meet the needs of Federal 
agencies, increase the efficiency and effectiveness and Federal agency 
test method review, and optimize utilization of scientific expertise 
outside the Federal Government. Additional information about ICCVAM can 
be found at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvam.
    NICEATM administers ICCVAM, provides scientific and operational 
support for ICCVAM-related activities, and conducts independent 
validation studies to assess the usefulness and limitations of new, 
revised, and alternative test methods and strategies. NICEATM and 
ICCVAM work collaboratively to evaluate new and improved test methods 
and strategies applicable to the needs of U.S. Federal agencies. 
NICEATM and ICCVAM welcome the public nomination of new, revised, and 
alternative test methods and strategies for validation studies and 
technical evaluations. Additional information about NICEATM can be 
found at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/niceatm.

    Dated: April 24, 2014.
John R. Bucher,
Associate Director, National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-10015 Filed 5-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P