[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 99 (Monday, May 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32335-32336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12043]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Notice of Request for Information by the Presidential Advisory 
Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-
Resistant Bacteria (Advisory Council) requests information from the 
general public and stakeholders related to efforts and strategies to 
combat antibiotic-resistance. In the process of developing their 
report, Initial Assessments of the National Action Plan for Combating 
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, the Advisory Council followed the 
framework of the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic 
Resistant Bacteria (Action Plan) to hear about a wide range of ongoing 
and planned activities by the federal government, including some 
stakeholders/sectors relevant to this overall effort. This Request for 
Information (RFI) offers the opportunity for interested individuals, 
organizations, associations, industries, and others, to provide their 
feedback. Responses to the questions must be received by 11:59 p.m. on 
June 22, 2016 to be considered. The questions are also available 
through an online form on the Advisory Council Web page at www.hhs.gov/ash/carb. Individuals who wish to send in their responses via email 
should send an email to [email protected], indicating the question number(s) 
for which they are responding.

DATES: Comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on June 22, 2016 to be 
considered.

ADDRESSES: Individuals are encouraged to submit their responses through 
one of the following methods. Utilization of the online form available 
on www.hhs.gov/ash/carb is the preferred method of submission. Should 
you choose to send in your responses via email, please be sure to 
include the question number(s) in the subject line. Do not include in 
your response information of a confidential nature, such as sensitive 
personal information or proprietary information. Responses to this 
notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the federal government 
to form a binding contract or issue a grant. Please be aware that your 
comments will not affirmatively be posted publicly, however they may be 
made available to the public, in part or in full, subject to applicable 
laws and regulations.
     Online Form: www.hhs.gov/ash/carb. Online submissions will 
receive an automatic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your 
response, but will not receive individualized feedback on any 
suggestions.
     Email: [email protected]. Please indicate the question 
number(s) in the subject line of your email. Email submissions will 
receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your 
response, but will not receive individualized feedback on any 
suggestions.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under Executive Order 13676, dated September 
18, 2014, authority was given to the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) to establish the Advisory Council, in consultation with 
the Secretaries of Defense and Agriculture. Activities of the Advisory 
Council are governed by the provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended 
(5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth standards for the formation and use 
of federal advisory committees.
    The Advisory Council will provide advice, information, and 
recommendations to the Secretary of HHS regarding programs and policies 
intended to support and evaluate the implementation of Executive Order 
13676, including the National Strategy for Combating Antibiotic-
Resistant

[[Page 32336]]

Bacteria and the Action Plan. The Advisory Council shall function 
solely for advisory purposes.
    In carrying out its mission, the Advisory Council will provide 
advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary regarding 
programs and policies intended to preserve the effectiveness of 
antibiotics by optimizing their use; advance research to develop 
improved methods for combating antibiotic resistance and conducting 
antibiotic stewardship; strengthen surveillance of antibiotic-resistant 
bacterial infections; prevent the transmission of antibiotic-resistant 
bacterial infections; advance the development of rapid point-of-care 
and agricultural diagnostics; further research on new treatments for 
bacterial infections; develop alternatives to antibiotics for 
agricultural purposes; maximize the dissemination of up-to-date 
information on the appropriate and proper use of antibiotics to the 
general public and human and animal healthcare providers; and improve 
international coordination of efforts to combat antibiotic resistance. 
In response to their mission, the Advisory Council recently released 
their first report, Initial Assessments of the National Action Plan for 
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, at their second public meeting 
held on March 30-31, 2016, in Washington, DC.
    Background: In the process of developing their report, the Advisory 
Council followed the framework of the Action Plan to hear about a wide 
range of ongoing and planned activities by the federal government, 
including some stakeholders/sectors relevant to this overall effort. 
Acknowledging that there are others who the Advisory Council would like 
to hear from, they are seeking that information through this RFI. The 
purpose of the questions posed in this RFI is to gain additional 
information from the public on the subject matter in several areas 
addressed in the Action Plan. The responses gathered from the RFI will 
be reviewed by the members of the Advisory Council and will be taken 
into consideration as they move forward with their activities. The 
responses provided are for the Advisory Council's informational 
purposes only. Response to this RFI is voluntary. Responders are free 
to address any or all of the questions below.
    Request for Information: To solicit additional information from the 
public, including individuals, organizations, associations, and 
industries involved in combating antibiotic-resistance, the Advisory 
Council seeks responses on the following requests for information:
    1. Describe how organizations are influencing curricula regarding 
primary prevention (antibiotic stewardship, infection prevention, and 
control). Please include information about certification examinations, 
requirements, and continuing education, if relevant.
    2. Describe how healthcare organizations can best: (a) Educate and 
provide feedback to providers in clinics/facilities about infectious 
diseases diagnostic testing, optimal antibiotic prescribing, and 
infection prevention; where relevant, please include information about 
what incentives and disincentives these organizations have in place 
with the goal of improving antibiotic prescribing (e.g., using clinical 
decision support) and prevent spread of resistant infections; and, (b) 
encourage and/or incentivize providers to report antibiotic use and 
resistance data for all patient populations.
    3. Please provide examples of successful behavior change models 
that can be applied to preventive strategies, such as infection control 
and antibiotic stewardship.
    4. Please provide information on the best ways to collect data on 
antibiotic use [and resistance] in animal agriculture through public-
private collaborations. Your response can include information on the 
types of data to be collected, including the method of collection, and 
the metrics for reporting the data. If helpful, please cite sample 
models as examples to depict your answer.
    5. Please provide information on the different resources that exist 
to promote the understanding of how antibiotics are being used in 
humans and animals in different parts of the world. Your response can 
include information on the types of support to connect with such 
resources, as appropriate (examples include public-private 
partnerships, strategic resourcing, or other means).
    More information can be found at www.hhs.gov/ash/carb.

    Dated: May 18, 2016.
Bruce Gellin,
Designated Federal Officer, Presidential Advisory Council on Combating 
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 2016-12043 Filed 5-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4150-44-P