[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 9474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03255]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Meeting of the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group

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 required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hereby giving notice 
that the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (TBDWG) will hold a meeting. 
The meeting will be open to the public. For this meeting, the TBDWG 
will be discussing and voting on recommendations for the 2020 TBDWG 
Report to the HHS Secretary and Congress. Most of the recommendations 
the TBDWG will consider are from the reports of eight TBDWG 
subcommittees, which were created to examine critical topic areas 
related to tick-borne diseases.
    Additionally, the TBDWG created the Federal Inventory Subcommittee 
and Public Comment Subcommittee. The Federal Inventory Subcommittee 
will present an analysis of tick-borne disease research and funding 
within federal agencies. The Public Comment subcommittee will provide 
an update on key themes of the written comments to the TBDWG.
    The 2020 report will address ongoing tick-borne disease research, 
including research related to causes, prevention, treatment, 
surveillance, diagnosis, diagnostics, duration of illness, and 
intervention for individuals with tick-borne diseases; advances made 
pursuant to such research; federal activities related to tick-borne 
diseases; and gaps in tick-borne disease research.

DATES: The meeting will be held on March 3-4, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m. ET (times are tentative and subject to change). The confirmed 
times and agenda items for the meeting will be posted on the website 
for the TBDWG at https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/tickbornedisease/meetings/2020-3-3/index.html when this information 
becomes available.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at The College of Physicians of 
Philadelphia, 19 S 22nd St. Philadelphia, PA 19103. Members of the 
public may also attend the meeting via webcast. Instructions for 
attending via webcast will be posted about one week prior to the 
meeting at https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/tickbornedisease/meetings/2020-3-3/index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Berger, Designated Federal 
Officer for the TBDWG; Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS 
Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Mary E. Switzer Building, 330 C Street SW, 
Suite L600, Washington, DC 20024. Email: [email protected]; 
Phone: 202-795-7608.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In-person attendance at the meeting is 
limited to space available; therefore, preregistration for public 
members is advisable and can be accomplished by registering at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tick-borne-disease-working-group-meeting-march-3-4-2020-meeting-12-tickets-90354618095. On the day of the meeting, 
seating will be provided first to persons who have preregistered. 
People who have not preregistered will be accommodated on a first come, 
first served basis if additional seats are still available 10 minutes 
before the meeting starts.
    The public will have an opportunity to present their views orally 
to the TBDWG during the meeting's public comment session or by 
submitting a written public comment. Comments should be pertinent to 
the meeting discussion. Persons who wish to provide verbal or written 
public comment should review instructions at https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/tickbornedisease/meetings/2020-3-3/index.html and 
respond by midnight Thursday, February 20, 2020, ET. Verbal comments 
will be limited to three minutes each to accommodate as many speakers 
as possible during the two 30 minute sessions. Written public comments 
will be accessible to the public on the TBDWG web page prior to the 
meeting.
    Background and Authority: The Tick-Borne Disease Working Group was 
established on August 10, 2017, in accordance with Section 2062 of the 
21st Century Cures Act, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 
U.S.C. App., as amended, to provide expertise and review federal 
efforts related to all tick-borne diseases, to help ensure interagency 
coordination and minimize overlap, and to examine research priorities. 
The TBDWG is required to submit a report to the HHS Secretary and 
Congress on their findings and any recommendations for the federal 
response to tick-borne disease every two years.

James Berger,
Designated Federal Officer, Tick-Borne Disease Working Group Office of 
Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-03255 Filed 2-18-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4150-28-P