[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66666-66667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23392]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) COPD 
National Action Plan; Request for Public Comments

SUMMARY: NHLBI, with input from federal and nonfederal partners, is 
developing the COPD National Action Plan to help guide stakeholders 
nationwide in their efforts to reduce the burden of Chronic Obstructive 
Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The purpose of this notice is to seek public 
input on the current draft of the COPD National Action Plan.

DATES: To ensure consideration, your responses must be received by 
Friday, October 28, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Responses to this Notice must be submitted electronically 
using either the web-based format at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/copd/get-involved/town-hall.htm or email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lenora E. Johnson, DrPH; Director, 
Office of Science Policy, Engagement, Education, and Communications; 
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; 9000 Rockville Pike, Bldg. 
31, MSC 2480, Bethesda, MD 20892-2480, Telephone: 301-496-4236, Fax: 
301-402-2405.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The NHLBI--part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)--plans, 
conducts, and supports research related to the causes, prevention, 
diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood 
diseases; and sleep disorders. The NHLBI is the NIH institute with 
primary responsibility for portfolio of research related to lung 
diseases.
    The NHLBI provides global leadership for research, training, and 
education programs to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, 
lung, and blood diseases and enhance the health of all individuals so 
that they can live longer and more fulfilling lives. The Institute

[[Page 66667]]

also administers national health education campaigns on COPD, women and 
heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other topics. NHLBI 
press releases and other materials are available online at 
www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
    The importance of COPD as a public health issue was highlighted by 
the Senate Appropriations Committee in fiscal year 2012 with its charge 
to the NHLBI ``to work with community stakeholders and other federal 
agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), to develop a national action plan to respond to the growing 
burden of this disease.'' A letter from Reps. John Lewis, Dave Joyce 
and Carol Shea-Porter in November 2014 to Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director 
of the CDC, and Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the NIH, requested 
``that the NIH and the CDC create a National Action Plan for COPD in 
fiscal year 2015.''
    In response to these requests and in collaboration with CDC and 
other federal partners, the NHLBI organized several trans-governmental 
preparatory workshops to discuss the development of such a plan. These 
workshops informed the establishment of six initial core goals to be 
addressed by the COPD National Action Plan.
    In early 2016, the NHLBI hosted a COPD Town Hall Meeting with both 
federal and nonfederal stakeholders, including patients and their 
families. During the two-day meeting, attendees were invited to join 
one of six working groups, each charged with developing objectives, 
strategies, and benchmarks for a specified goal. The recommendations 
made by the working groups directly informed the development of the 
full draft of the COPD National Action Plan that is now available for 
public input.
    Following the public comment period, the NHLBI will incorporate the 
feedback, finalize the COPD National Action Plan, and post the document 
for the public via the NHLBI Web site.

Information Requested

    This notice invites public comment on the draft COPD National 
Action Plan draft. We ask that the public review the draft and provide 
feedback on its content, strategies, and tactics, as well as the 
opportunities it suggests organizations consider to help reduce the 
burden of COPD.
    Input is being sought on each of the areas identified below, and 
respondents can provide comment to select areas or all of them.
    (1) Goal 1: Empower people with COPD, their families, and 
caregivers to recognize and reduce the burden of COPD.
    (2) Goal 2: Improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and 
management of COPD by promoting and sustaining the education and 
training of health care professionals.
    (3) Goal 3: Collect, analyze, disseminate, and report COPD-related 
public health data that drives change and tracks progress.
    (4) Goal 4: Increase and sustain research to better understand 
prevention, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and management of COPD.
    (5) Goal 5: Translate national policy, education, and program 
recommendations into legislative, research, and public health care 
actions.
    (6) Additional comments, information, or suggestions about 
organizations that should be part of the COPD National Action Plan 
implementation.

General Information

    All of the fields in the response are optional and voluntary. Any 
personal identifiers will be removed when responses are compiled. 
Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should 
not be included in your response. This notice is for planning purposes 
only and is not a solicitation for applications or an obligation on the 
part of the United States (U.S.) 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 comment submitted or 
for its use of that comment.
    Please provide your name and email address so that we can follow up 
with you should we have any questions regarding your submission. If you 
are a member of a particular advocacy or professional organization, 
please indicate the name and primary focus of the organization (i.e., 
research support, patient care, etc.) and whether you are responding on 
behalf of your organization. If you are not, please indicate your 
position within the organization.
    Privacy Act Notification Statement: We are requesting your comments 
on the draft COPD National Action Plan. The information you provide may 
be disclosed to NHLBI staff and contractors working on our behalf. 
Submission of this information is voluntary. However, the information 
you provide will help us develop a more complete COPD National Action 
Plan. Additionally, contact details will allow us to follow up with you 
should there be any questions to your feedback.
    Collection of this information is authorized under 42 U.S.C. 203, 
24 1, 2891-1 and 44 U.S.C. 310 I and Section 30 l and 493 of the Public 
Health Service Act regarding the establishment of the National 
Institutes of Health, its general authority to conduct and fund 
research and to provide training assistance, and its general authority 
to maintain records in connection with these and its other functions.

    Dated: September 21, 2016.
Gary H. Gibbons,
Director, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National 
Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2016-23392 Filed 9-27-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P