[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 112 (Monday, June 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27012-27013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12458]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Request for Information (RFI): Input on Report From Council of 
Councils on Assessing the Safety of Relocating At-Risk Chimpanzees

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is informing the 
research community and other interested parties that it received from 
the NIH Council of Councils the report of its Working Group on 
Assessing the Safety of Relocating At-Risk Chimpanzees, and the agency 
will consider recommendations contained in the report (see https://
dpcpsi.nih.gov/sites/

[[Page 27013]]

default/files/CoC_May_2018_WG_Report_508.pdf). The NIH invites public 
comment in response to this Request for Information (RFI).

DATES: This Request for Information is open for public comment for a 
period of 60 days. Comments must be submitted by August 10, 2018 to 
ensure consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be submitted electronically using the web-
based form available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rfi/rfi.cfm?ID=72.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct all inquiries to the 
Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: In 2015, the NIH decided that all NIH-owned chimpanzees 
residing outside of the federal chimpanzee sanctuary system were 
eligible for retirement and relocation to the sanctuary. This decision 
was based on several converging efforts:
     A 2011 report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that 
stated the use of chimpanzees in research has become ``largely 
unnecessary'' and recommended approaches to minimize their use in 
federally funded research.
     A 2013 report from an earlier NIH Council of Councils 
working group that made recommendations to the NIH on implementing the 
IOM principles and guidelines and placement of NIH-owned or -supported 
chimpanzees.
     A 2015 announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
designating all captive chimpanzees as endangered, thereby conferring 
specific protections under the Endangered Species Act.
     Observations by the NIH of a significantly reduced demand 
for chimpanzees for research.
    A priority for the NIH, relocation of the chimpanzees to the 
sanctuary proceeds according to a retirement plan prepared by the NIH. 
The retirement plan, as well as the November 2015 NIH announcement, 
state that chimpanzees will be retired to the sanctuary once space 
becomes available and on a timescale that considers the health, 
welfare, and social grouping of individual chimpanzees. However, many 
of these chimpanzees have age-related ailments that can increase their 
risk of severe adverse events during the transfer and relocation 
process.
    On January 26, 2018, the NIH Council of Councils established a 
Working Group on Assessing the Safety of Relocating At-Risk Chimpanzees 
to provide advice and recommendations to the Council on factors to be 
considered by attending veterinarian staff when deciding whether to 
relocate NIH-owned or -supported at-risk chimpanzees to the federal 
sanctuary system. On May 18, 2018, the working group submitted the 
report to the NIH Council of Councils, which subsequently approved the 
report and transmitted it to the NIH for consideration.
    Information Requested: The NIH is seeking input on the 
recommendations (see https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/CoC_May_2018_WG_Report_508.pdf) from the biomedical research community, 
including foundations, scientific societies, government and regulatory 
agencies, industry, NIH grantee institutions, and from other members of 
the public. Responders are free to address any or all recommendations.
    How to Submit a Response: All comments must be submitted 
electronically to https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rfi/rfi.cfm?ID=72. 
Comments must pertain to the category for which feedback is requested, 
conform to the word limit indicated, and be submitted by the specified 
due date. You will see an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt 
of your response but will not receive individualized feedback on any 
suggestions.
    Response to this RFI is voluntary. No basis for claims against the 
U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this RFI or 
from the Government's use of such information. Please note that the 
Government will not pay for response preparation or for the use of any 
information contained in the response. The NIH may make all responses 
available, including name of the responder, without notifying the 
respondent. In addition, the NIH may prepare and make available a 
summary of all input received which is responsive to this RFI.

    Dated: June 4, 2018.
Lawrence A. Tabak,
Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2018-12458 Filed 6-8-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4140-01-P