[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12583-12584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05833]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Solicitation for Applications From Individuals Interested in 
Being Appointed to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee

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

ACTION: Notice.

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    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 217a, Section 222 of the Public Health 
Service Act, as amended. The Committee is governed by the provisions 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended 
(5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth standards for the formation and 
use of advisory committees.

SUMMARY: The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), 
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is seeking 
nominations of six qualified candidates to be considered for 
appointment as members of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory 
Committee (CFSAC). CFSAC provides advice and recommendations to the 
Secretary of HHS, through the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), on 
a broad range of issues and topics related to myalgic 
encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

DATES: Applications for individuals to be considered for appointment to 
the Committee must be received no later than 5 p.m. EDT on April 23, 
2018 at the address listed below.

ADDRESSES: All nominations should be mailed or delivered to Commander 
(CDR) Gustavo Ceinos, MPH, Designated Federal Officer, Chronic Fatigue 
Syndrome Advisory Committee, Office on Women's Health, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human 
Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Room 728F6, Washington, DC 20201. 
Nomination materials, including attachments, may be submitted 
electronically to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: CDR Gustavo Ceinos, Designated Federal 
Officer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee, Office on Women's 
Health, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of 
Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave. SW, Room 728F6, 
Washington, DC 20201. Inquiries may also be made to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CFSAC was established on September 5, 2002. 
The purpose of the CFSAC is to provide advice and recommendations to 
the Secretary of HHS, through the ASH, on issues related to ME/CFS. The 
CFSAC advises and makes recommendations on a broad range of topics 
including: (1) Opportunities to improve knowledge and research about 
the epidemiology, etiologies, biomarkers and risk factors for ME/CFS; 
(2) research on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of ME/CFS and 
potential impact of treatment options; (3) strategies to inform the 
public, health care professionals, and the biomedical academic and 
research communities about ME/CFS advances; (4) partnerships to improve 
the quality of life of ME/CFS patients; and (5) strategies to insure 
that input from ME/CFS patients and caregivers is incorporated into HHS 
policy and research. The CFSAC charter is available at: http://www.hhs.gov/advcomcfs/charter/index.html.
    Management and support services for Committee activities are 
provided within the OASH. The ASH provides direction and guidance for 
services performed to support CFSAC activities and operation.
    Nominations: OASH is requesting nominations to fill six CFSAC 
positions. The Committee composition consists of thirteen members:
     Seven biomedical research scientists with demonstrated 
expertise in biomedical research applicable to ME/CFS;
     at least three patients or caregivers affected by ME/CFS; 
and
     three individuals with expertise in health care delivery, 
private health care services or insurers, or voluntary organizations 
concerned with the problems of individuals with ME/CFS.
    The breakdown of the six vacant positions OASH is seeking is as 
follows:
     Four positions for biomedical research scientists with 
demonstrated expertise in biomedical research applicable to ME/CFS;
     one position for patients or caregivers affected by ME/
CFS; and
     one position for an individual with expertise in health 
care delivery, private health care services or insurers, or voluntary 
organizations concerned with the problems of individuals with ME/CFS.
    Individuals selected for appointment to the Committee will serve as 
voting members and may be invited to serve for a period of four years. 
CFSAC members are authorized to receive a stipend for conducting 
committee related business including attending Committee meetings. 
Committee members also are authorized to receive per diem and 
reimbursement for travel expenses incurred for conducting Committee 
related business. To qualify for consideration of appointment to the 
Committee, an individual must possess demonstrated experience and 
knowledge in the designated fields or disciplines, as well as expert 
knowledge of the broad issues and topics pertinent to ME/CFS.
    Nomination materials should be typewritten. If mailed, please 
submit original documents. The nomination materials should be submitted 
(postmarked or received) no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT on the specified 
date. The following information must be part

[[Page 12584]]

of the nomination package submitted for each individual being 
nominated:
    (1) A nomination letter clearly stating:
    a. Name and affiliation of the nominee;
    b. qualifications of the nominee related to the focus area(s) 
described above (i.e., specific attributes which qualify the nominee 
for service in this capacity);
    c. area (out of the three listed above) the nominee is interested 
in representing based on his/her experience and background;
    d. statement that the nominee is willing to serve as a member of 
the Committee;
    (2) The nominator's name, address, and daytime telephone number;
    (3) The home and/or work address, telephone number, and email 
address of the individual being nominated;
    (4) A current copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae or resume. The 
vitae or resume may be condensed to highlight the experience of the 
nominee related to the focus areas described above.
    An individual may self-nominate to be on the Committee. Federal 
employees should not be nominated for consideration of appointment to 
this Committee. Nominations that do not contain all of the above 
information will not be considered.
    Electronic submissions: Nomination materials, including 
attachments, may be submitted electronically to [email protected]. An email 
from the CFSAC Support Team will be sent to the nominating individual 
or nominee to confirm receipt of the nomination. If the email 
confirmation is not received within two working days, please call 202-
690-7650.
    Regular, Express, or Overnight Mail: Written documents may be 
submitted to the following addressee only: CDR Gustavo Ceinos, MPH, 
Designated Federal Officer, CFSAC, Office on Women's Health, Office of 
the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human 
Services, 200 Independence Ave. SW, Room 728F6, Washington, DC 20201.
    Telephone and facsimile submissions cannot be accepted.
    The Department makes every effort to ensure that the membership of 
federal advisory committees is fairly balanced in terms of points of 
view represented. Appointment to this Committee shall be made without 
discrimination on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual 
orientation, disability, and cultural, religious, or socioeconomic 
status. Nominations must state that the nominee is willing to serve as 
a member of CFSAC and appears to have no conflict of interest that 
would preclude membership. Candidates who are selected for appointment 
to the committee are required to provide detailed information 
concerning such matters as financial holdings, consultancies, and 
research grants or contracts for an ethics analysis to be conducted to 
identify potential conflicts of interest.

    Dated: March 14, 2018.
Gustavo Ceinos,
CDR, USPHS, Designated Federal Officer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 
Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 2018-05833 Filed 3-21-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-42-P