[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 74 (Thursday, April 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 21239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07982]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2020-0035; NIOSH-334]


World Trade Center Health Program Research Agenda; Request for 
Information

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS.

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
is opening a docket to solicit public comment on the scope of upcoming 
funding announcements for the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program 
research funding cycle for FY2021. The WTC Health Program's research 
program helps answer critical questions about potential 9/11-related 
physical and mental health conditions as well as diagnosing and 
treating health conditions on the List of WTC-Related Health 
Conditions.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 1, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted through either of the following 
two methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov 
(follow the instructions for submitting comments), or
     By Mail: NIOSH Docket Office, Robert A. Taft Laboratories, 
MS C-34, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226-1998.
    Instructions: All written submissions received in response to this 
notice must include the agency name (Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, HHS) and docket number (CDC-2020-0035; NIOSH-334) for this 
action. All relevant comments, including any personal information 
provided, will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Weiss, Program Analyst, 1090 
Tusculum Avenue, MS: C-48, Cincinnati, OH 45226; telephone (855) 818-
1629 (this is a toll-free number); email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title I of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and 
Compensation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-347, as amended by Pub. L. 114-
113 and Pub. L. 116-59), added Title XXXIII to the Public Health 
Service (PHS) Act,\1\ establishing the WTC Health Program within the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The WTC Health Program 
provides medical monitoring and treatment benefits for health 
conditions on the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions (List) \2\ to 
eligible firefighters and related personnel, law enforcement officers, 
and rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers who responded to the 
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, at the 
Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania (responders). The Program 
also provides benefits to eligible persons who were present in the dust 
or dust cloud on September 11, 2001, or who worked, resided, or 
attended school, childcare, or adult daycare in the New York City 
disaster area (survivors).
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    \1\ Title XXXIII of the PHS Act is codified at 42 U.S.C. 300mm 
to 300mm-61. Those portions of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and 
Compensation Act of 2010 found in Titles II and III of Public Law 
111-347 do not pertain to the WTC Health Program and are codified 
elsewhere.
    \2\ The List of WTC-Related Health Conditions is established in 
42 U.S.C. 300mm-22(a)(3)-(4) and 300mm-32(b); additional conditions 
may be added through rulemaking and the complete list is provided in 
WTC Health Program regulations at 42 CFR 88.15.
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    The Zadroga Act also requires that the Program establish a research 
program on health conditions resulting from the September 11, 2001, 
terrorist attacks, addressing the following topics:
     Physical and mental health conditions that may be related 
to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;
     Diagnosing WTC-related health conditions for which there 
have been diagnostic uncertainty; and
     Treating WTC-related health conditions for which there 
have been treatment uncertainty.

Request for Information

    To establish the scope of the next 5-year research project funding 
cycle of the WTC Health Program, NIOSH is soliciting public comments 
from any interested party. Specifically, NIOSH seeks input on research 
priorities involving the WTC Health Program population of responders 
and survivors on the following questions:
    (1) What are the most important research gaps that need to be 
addressed within the scope of the research solicitation?
    (2) What are the most important areas of diagnostic and treatment 
uncertainty that could most benefit from intervention research 
(information that bridges the gap between science and practice, care, 
or treatment by addressing the barriers, challenges, and needs to 
advance implementation of new or improved treatment, care, or 
practices)?
    (3) What are the primary research needs of responders and 
survivors?

John J. Howard,
Administrator, World Trade Center Health Program and Director, National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-07982 Filed 4-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P