[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 47 (Friday, March 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 10495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04714]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Draft National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 2018-
2023 Strategic Plan

AGENCY: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), 
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The NIEHS is updating its 2012-2017 NIEHS Strategic Plan, 
which can be viewed at www.niehs.nih.gov/2012plan. The goal of the 
current strategic planning process is to define Strategic Objectives to 
anticipate, set, and meet priorities in environmental health sciences 
research, training, and translation in support of the NIEHS mission and 
vision, as well as to identify key focus areas for implementation of 
such Strategic Objectives. NIEHS requests comment from researchers in 
academia and industry, health care professionals, patient advocates and 
advocacy organizations, scientific or professional organizations, 
federal agencies, and other interested members of the public on these 
new Strategic Objectives and focus areas, which are detailed in ``NIEHS 
Strategic Plan 2018-2023: Advancing Environmental Health Science, 
Improving Health 2.0.'' The draft plan may be viewed online at 
www.niehs.nih.gov/strategicplan.

DATES: Submit your comments online or by email on or before March 30, 
2018, 5:00 p.m. EDT.

ADDRESSES: Comments are strongly encouraged to be submitted online at 
https://www.research.net/r/niehs_strategic_plan. They may also be 
submitted by email to [email protected], or by mail to: 
Office of the Deputy Director, NIEHS/NIH/HHS, P.O. Box 12233, Maildrop 
B2-06, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Sheila Newton, Office of Policy, 
Planning and Evaluation; email: [email protected], or call non-
toll-free number 919-541-4343.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The mission of the NIEHS is to 
discover how the environment affects people, in order to promote 
healthier lives. The vision of the NIEHS is to provide global 
leadership for innovative research that improves public health by 
preventing disease and disability. The NIEHS achieves its mission and 
vision through multidisciplinary biomedical research programs, as well 
as prevention and intervention efforts. NIEHS research is disseminated 
to inform evidence-based environmental health policies to prevent 
disease and protect health. The NIEHS also focuses on communication and 
research translation strategies that encompass training, education, 
technology transfer, and community engagement.

Request for Comment on Draft NIEHS Strategic Plan 2018-2023

    During June-August 2017, the NIEHS solicited input to its strategic 
planning process through a public, online ``Trends & Insights Survey.'' 
This survey invited respondents to comment on any aspect of the 2012-
2017 NIEHS Strategic Plan, as well as to offer potential new directions 
and priorities. Following this, NIEHS synthesized the input (~2,000 
unique comments) and reported it to the National Advisory Environmental 
Health Sciences Council (NAEHSC) at its September 2017 meeting. Two 
members of Council led a discussion to provide further feedback. From 
September 2017-February 2018, NIEHS Leadership discussed the compiled 
input and analysis, consulted the NIH Strategic Plan, and determined 
the current set of Strategic Objectives and supporting focus areas of 
effort that are detailed in the draft plan. This plan was presented and 
discussed at the NAEHSC's February 2018 meeting.
    The NIEHS seeks Comments from all interested parties on its draft 
``NIEHS Strategic Plan 2018-2023: Advancing Environmental Health 
Science, Improving Health 2.0.'' Input received in response to this 
request will be collected from February 21 to March 30, 2018.
    All comments should be submitted on or before COB (5:00 p.m. EDT) 
March 30, 2018.

    Dated: February 14, 2018.
Linda S. Birnbaum,
Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and 
National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-04714 Filed 3-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4140-01-P