[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41316-41317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14960]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines; Request for 
Nominations for Voting Members

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is 
requesting nominations to fill vacancies on the Advisory Commission on 
Childhood Vaccines (ACCV). The ACCV was established by title XXI of the 
Public Health Service Act (the Act), as enacted by Public Law (Pub. L.) 
99-660 and as subsequently amended, and advises the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services (the Secretary) on issues related to implementation 
of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

DATES: The agency will receive nominations on a continuous basis.

ADDRESSES: All nominations are to be submitted to the Director, 
Division of Injury Compensation Programs, Healthcare Systems Bureau 
(HSB), HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 08N146B, Rockville, Maryland 
20857. Nominations submitted electronically should be submitted to 
[email protected] or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Annie Herzog, Principal Staff 
Liaison, Division of Injury Compensation Programs, HSB, HRSA, at (301) 
443-6634 or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authorities that established the 
ACCV, the Federal Advisory Committee Act of October 6, 1972, (Pub. L. 
92-463) and section 2119 of the Act, 42 U.S.C.

[[Page 41317]]

300aa-19, as added by Pub. L. 99-660 and amended, HRSA is requesting 
nominations for voting members of the ACCV.
    The ACCV advises the Secretary on the implementation of the VICP. 
Other activities of the ACCV include: Recommending changes in the 
Vaccine Injury Table, at its own initiative or as the result of the 
filing of a petition; advising the Secretary in implementing section 
2127 of the Act regarding the need for childhood vaccination products 
that result in fewer or no significant adverse reactions; surveying 
federal, state, and local programs and activities related to gathering 
information on injuries associated with the administration of childhood 
vaccines, including the adverse reaction reporting requirements of 
section 2125(b) of the Act; advising the Secretary on the methods of 
obtaining, compiling, publishing, and using credible data related to 
the frequency and severity of adverse reactions associated with 
childhood vaccines; consulting on the development or revision of 
Vaccine Information Statements; and recommending to the Director of the 
National Vaccine Program research related to vaccine injuries which 
should be conducted to carry out the VICP.
    The ACCV consists of nine voting members appointed by the Secretary 
as follows: (1) Three health professionals, who are not employees of 
the United States Government, and who have expertise in the health care 
of children, the epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of childhood 
diseases, and the adverse reactions associated with vaccines, of whom 
at least two shall be pediatricians; (2) three members from the general 
public, of whom at least two shall be legal representatives (parents or 
guardians) of children who have suffered a vaccine-related injury or 
death; and (3) three attorneys, of whom at least one shall be an 
attorney whose specialty includes representation of persons who have 
suffered a vaccine-related injury or death, and of whom one shall be an 
attorney whose specialty includes representation of vaccine 
manufacturers. In addition, the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health, the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Director of the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Commissioner of the Food 
and Drug Administration (or the designees of such officials) serve as 
nonvoting ex officio members.
    The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or Department) 
will consider nominations of all qualified individuals with a view to 
ensure that the ACCV includes the areas of subject matter expertise 
noted above. As indicated above, at least two of the three ACCV members 
of the general public must be legal representatives (parents or 
guardians) of children who have suffered a vaccine-related injury or 
death. Because those members must be the legal representatives of 
children who have suffered a vaccine-related injury or death, to be 
considered for appointment to the ACCV in that category there must have 
been a finding (i.e., a decision) by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims 
or a civil court that a VICP-covered vaccine caused, or was presumed to 
have caused, the represented child's injury or death. Based on a 
recommendation made by the ACCV, the Secretary will consider having a 
health professional with expertise in obstetrics as one of the members 
of the general public.
    ACCV members are appointed as Special Government Employees. As 
such, they are covered by the federal ethics rules, including the 
criminal conflict of interest statutes governing executive branch 
employees. For example, an ACCV member may be prohibited from 
discussions about making changes to the Vaccine Injury Table and 
Vaccine Information Statements for the Hepatitis B vaccine if he/she or 
his/her spouse owns stock valued above a certain amount in companies 
which manufacturer this vaccine, affecting their own pecuniary 
interests--including interests imputed to them. To evaluate possible 
conflicts of interest, potential candidates will be asked to fill out 
the Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450, to provide 
detailed information concerning financial interests, consultancies, 
research grants, and/or contracts that might be affected by 
recommendations made by the ACCV.
    Interested persons may nominate one or more qualified persons for 
membership on the ACCV. Nominations shall state that the nominee is 
willing to serve as a member of the ACCV. Nominees will be invited to 
serve a 3-year term beginning the date of appointment. A nomination 
package should be submitted as hard copy, email communication, or 
compact disk. A nomination package should include the following 
information for each nominee: (1) A letter of nomination stating the 
name, affiliation, and contact information for the nominee, the basis 
for the nomination (i.e., what specific attributes, perspectives, and/
or skills does the individual possess that would benefit the workings 
of the ACCV) and the nominee's field(s) of expertise; (2) a 
biographical sketch of the nominee and a copy of his/her curriculum 
vitae; and (3) the name, address, daytime telephone number, and email 
address at which the nominator can be contacted. Nomination packages 
will be collected and retained to create a pool of possible future ACCV 
voting members. When a vacancy occurs, nomination packages from the 
appropriate category will be reviewed and nominees may be contacted.
    HHS strives to ensure that the membership of the HHS Federal 
Advisory Committee is fairly balanced in terms of points of view 
represented and the committee's function. Appointment to the ACCV shall 
be made without discrimination on basis of age, race, ethnicity, 
gender, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural, religious, or 
socioeconomic status. The Department encourages nominations of 
qualified candidates from all groups and locations.

Jason E. Bennett,
Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2016-14960 Filed 6-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-15-P