[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5671-5672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01872]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating 
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hereby giving notice 
that a meeting is scheduled to be held for the Presidential Advisory 
Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB). The 
meeting will be open to the public; a public comment session will be 
held during the meeting. Pre-registration is required for members of 
the public who wish to attend the meeting and who wish to participate 
in the public comment session. Individuals who wish to attend the 
meeting and/or send in their public comment via email should send an 
email to [email protected]. Registration information is available on the 
website http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb and must be completed by February 
19, 2020; all in-person attendees must pre-register by this date. 
Additional information about registering for the meeting and providing 
public comment can be obtained at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb on the 
Meetings page.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled to be held on February 26, 2020, from 
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and February 27, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 
p.m. ET (times are tentative and subject to change). The confirmed 
times and agenda items for

[[Page 5672]]

the meeting will be posted on the website for the PACCARB at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb when this information becomes available. Pre-
registration for attending the meeting in person is required to be 
completed no later than February 19, 2020; public attendance at the 
meeting is limited to the available space.

ADDRESSES: Hubert H. Humphrey Building, The Great Hall, 200 
Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20201. The meeting can also be 
accessed through a live webcast and via teleconference on the day of 
the meeting. For more information, visit http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jomana Musmar, M.S., Ph.D., Designated 
Federal Officer, Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-
Resistant Bacteria, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Room L616, Switzer Building, 
330 C St. SW, Washington, DC 20201. Email: [email protected]. Telephone: 
(202) 795-7678.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Presidential Advisory Council on 
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB), established by 
Executive Order 13676, is continued by Section 505 of Public Law 116-
22, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation 
Act of 2019 (PAHPAIA). Activities and duties of the Advisory Council 
are governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth 
standards for the formation and use of federal advisory committees.
    The PACCARB shall advise and provide information and 
recommendations to the Secretary regarding programs and policies 
intended to reduce or combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may 
present a public health threat and improve capabilities to prevent, 
diagnose, mitigate, or treat such resistance. The PACCARB shall 
function solely for advisory purposes.
    Such advice, information, and recommendations may be related to 
improving: The effectiveness of antibiotics; research and advanced 
research on, and the development of, improved and innovative methods 
for combating or reducing antibiotic resistance, including new 
treatments, rapid point-of-care diagnostics, alternatives to 
antibiotics, including alternatives to animal antibiotics, and 
antimicrobial stewardship activities; surveillance of antibiotic-
resistant bacterial infections, including publicly available and up-to-
date information on resistance to antibiotics; education for health 
care providers and the public with respect to up-to-date information on 
antibiotic resistance and ways to reduce or combat such resistance to 
antibiotics related to humans and animals; methods to prevent or reduce 
the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections; 
including stewardship programs; and coordination with respect to 
international efforts in order to inform and advance the United States 
capabilities to combat antibiotic resistance.
    The February 26-27 public meeting will be dedicated to the 
swearing-in of four new voting members, and acknowledging the 
dedication of retiring voting members. The remainder of the two-day 
public meeting will include antimicrobial (AMR)-focused panel 
presentations and council discussions on topics ranging from: 
Innovations to disease prevention and management for both human and 
animal health, the changing AMR landscape, the gut microbiome, and the 
future demand for food production, with an in depth look at aquaculture 
production and management practices. The meeting agenda will be posted 
on the PACCARB website at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb when it has been 
finalized. All agenda items are tentative and subject to change.
    Public attendance at the meeting is limited to the available space. 
Individuals who plan to attend and need special assistance, such as 
sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations, should 
notify the PACCARB at the address/telephone number listed above at 
least one week prior to the meeting. For those unable to attend in 
person, a live webcast will be available. More information on 
registration and accessing the webcast can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb.
    Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide comments 
prior to the public meeting by emailing [email protected]. Public comments 
should be sent in by midnight February 10, 2020, and should be limited 
to no more than one page.

    Dated: January 10, 2020.
Jomana F. Musmar,
Designated Federal Officer, Presidential Advisory Council on Combating 
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Committee Manager.
[FR Doc. 2020-01872 Filed 1-30-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4150-44-P