[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 67 (Friday, April 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14865-14866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07007]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice--Request for nominations for voting members.

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SUMMARY: 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), 
and advises the Secretary of HHS (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: Submit your nominations to the Director, Division of Injury 
Compensation Programs (DICP), Healthcare Systems Bureau (HSB), HRSA, 
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 08N146B, Rockville, Maryland 20857. Submit your 
electronic nomination package by email to Ms. Annie Herzog at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Annie Herzog, Principal Staff 
Liaison, DICP, HSB, HRSA, at (301) 443-6634 or email at 
[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. 300aa-19, as added by 
Public Law 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 to the 
Vaccine Injury Table, at its own initiative or as the result of the 
filing of a petition; advising the Secretary on 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

[[Page 14866]]

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.
    HHS 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. 
Additionally, 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 
that 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 U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) 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 or email communication and 
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 at that time.
    HHS strives to ensure that the membership of the ACCV is balanced 
in terms of points of view presented and the committee's function. 
Every effort is made to ensure that the views of women, all ethnic and 
racial groups, and people with disabilities are represented on HHS 
Federal Advisory Committees and, therefore, HHS encourages nominations 
of qualified candidates from these groups. HHS also encourages 
geographic diversity in the composition of the Committee. 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. HHS encourages nominations of 
qualified candidates from all groups and locations.

    Dated: March 30, 2018.
Lori A. Roche,
Acting Deputy, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2018-07007 Filed 4-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-15-P