[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4063-4064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01523]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Draft NTP Technical Reports on Cell Phone Radiofrequency 
Radiation; Availability of Documents; Request for Comments; Notice of 
Peer-Review Meeting

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Toxicology Program (NTP) announces a meeting to 
peer review two Draft NTP Technical Reports on Cell Phone 
Radiofrequency Radiation. These reports present the results of NTP 
studies conducted to evaluate the impact of cell phone radiofrequency 
radiation exposure in mice and rats. NTP studied two system 
modulations: Global System for Mobile Communications and Code Division 
Multiple Access. The peer-review meeting will be held at the National 
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle 
Park, NC and is open to the public. Registration is requested for 
attendance at the meeting either in-person or by webcast and to present 
oral comments. Information about the meeting and registration is 
available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051.

DATES: Meeting: Tentatively scheduled for March 26, 2018, 8:30 a.m. to 
adjournment on March 28, 2018, at approximately 5:00 p.m. Eastern 
Daylight Time (EDT). The preliminary agenda of topics is available at 
https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051 and will be updated one week before 
the meeting.
    Document Availability: The two draft NTP technical reports should 
be available by February 2, 2018, at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051.
    Written Public Comment Submissions: Deadline is March 12, 2018.
    Registration for Oral Comments: Deadline is March 12, 2018.
    Registration to Attend Meeting In-person or to View Webcast: 
Deadline is March 28, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: Rodbell Auditorium, Rall Building, NIEHS, 
111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
    Meeting web page: The two draft NTP technical reports, preliminary 
agenda, registration, and other meeting materials will be available at 
https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051.
    Webcast: The URL for viewing the peer-review meeting webcast will 
be provided to registrants.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Canden Byrd, ICF, 2635 Meridian 
Parkway, Suite 200, Durham, NC, USA 27713. Phone: (919) 293-1660, Fax: 
(919) 293-1645, Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: Personal (cellular) 
telecommunications is a rapidly evolving technology that uses 
radiofrequency energy or radiation for mobile communication. According 
to a 2016 survey, 95 percent of American adults now use cell phones. 
Given such broad use, adverse health effects shown

[[Page 4064]]

to be associated with cell phone use could be a widespread public 
health concern. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nominated 
cell phone radiofrequency radiation for NTP study because (a) 
widespread human exposure is possible, (b) current exposure guidelines 
are based largely on protection from acute injury due to thermal 
effects, (c) little is known about the potential health effects of 
long-term exposure to radiofrequency radiation, and (d) currently 
available human studies have found limited evidence of an increased 
risk of cancer from cell phone use.
    NTP studied in rats and mice the effects of exposure to cell phone 
radiofrequency radiation from two system modulations: Global System for 
Mobile Communications and Code Division Multiple Access. NTP released 
the ``Report of Partial Findings from the National Toxicology Program 
Carcinogenesis Studies of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation in Hsd: 
Sprague Dawley SD Rats (Whole Body Exposure)'' in May 2016 (https://doi.org/10.1101/055699). The partial findings will be included in the 
draft NTP technical report for rats. The two draft NTP technical 
reports present results for all NTP studies on rats and mice on the 
toxicity and carcinogenicity of cell phone-emitted radiofrequency 
radiation.
    Meeting Attendance Registration: The meeting is open to the public 
with time set aside for oral public comment; in-person attendance at 
the NIEHS is limited by the space available (~100 attendees). 
Registratration for in-person attendance is on a first-come, first-
served basis, and registrants will be assigned a number in their 
confirmation email. After the first 100 registrants, persons will be 
placed on a wait list and notified should an opening become available. 
Registration to attend the meeting in-person or view the webcast is by 
March 28, 2018, at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051. The URL for the 
webcast will be provided in the email confirming registration. Visitor 
and security information for those attending in person is available at 
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/visiting/index.cfm. Individuals with 
disabilities who need accommodation to view the webcast should contact 
Canden Byrd by phone: (919) 293-1660 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.
    Public Comment Registration: NTP invites written and oral public 
comments on the draft NTP technical reports. Guidelines for public 
comments are available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/guidelines_public_comments_508.pdf.
    The deadline for submission of written comments is March 12, 2018. 
Written public comments should be submitted through the meeting 
website. Persons submitting written comments should include name, 
affiliation, mailing address, phone, email, and sponsoring organization 
(if any). Written comments received in response to this notice will be 
posted on the NTP website, and the submitter will be identified by 
name, affiliation, and sponsoring organization (if any). Comments that 
address scientific or technical issues will be forwarded to the peer-
review panel and NTP staff prior to the meeting.
    Registration to provide oral comments is on or before March 12, 
2018, at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051. Registratration is on a 
first-come, first-served basis, and registrants will be assigned a 
number in their confirmation email. Oral comments may be presented in 
person at NIEHS or by teleconference line. The access number for the 
teleconference line will be provided to registrants by email prior to 
the meeting. Each organization is allowed one time slot per comment 
period. The agenda allows for two public comment periods: The first 
comment period on the exposure system (12 commenters, up to 5 minutes 
per speaker), and the second comment period on the NTP findings in rats 
and mice (24 commenters, up to 5 minutes per speaker). After the 
maximum number of speakers per comment period is exceeded, individuals 
registered to provide oral comment will be placed on a wait list and 
notified should an opening become available. Commenters will be 
notified after March 12, 2018, the deadline to register for oral public 
comments, about the actual time allotted per speaker.
    If possible, oral public commenters should send a copy of their 
slides and/or statement or talking points to Canden Byrd by email: [email protected] by March 12, 2018.
    Meeting Materials: The two draft NTP technical reports and 
preliminary agenda will be available on the NTP website at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36051. The draft NTP technical reports should be 
available by February 2, 2018. Additional information will be posted 
when available or may be requested in hardcopy, contact Canden Byrd by 
phone: (919) 293-1660 or email: [email protected]. The preliminary 
meeting agenda is available on the meeting web page and will be updated 
one week before the meeting. Individuals are encouraged to access the 
meeting web page to stay abreast of the most current information 
regarding the meeting.
    Following the meeting, a report of the peer review will be prepared 
and made available on the NTP website.
    Background Information on NTP Peer-Review Panels: NTP panels are 
technical, scientific advisory bodies established on an ``as needed'' 
basis to provide independent scientific peer review and advise NTP on 
agents of public health concern, new/revised toxicological test 
methods, or other issues. These panels help ensure transparent, 
unbiased, and scientifically rigorous input to the program for its use 
in making credible decisions about human hazard, setting research and 
testing priorities, and providing information to regulatory agencies 
about alternative methods for toxicity screening. NTP welcomes 
nominations of scientific experts for upcoming panels. Scientists 
interested in serving on an NTP panel should provide their current 
curriculum vitae to Canden Byrd by email: [email protected]. The 
authority for NTP panels is provided by 42 U.S.C. 217a; section 222 of 
the Public Health Service Act, as amended. The panel is governed by the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which 
sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.

    Dated: January 16, 2018.
Brian R. Berridge,
Associate Director, National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-01523 Filed 1-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4140-01-P