[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 123 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38149-38150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13672]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological 
Methods; Announcement of Meeting; Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the next meeting of the Scientific 
Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods (SACATM). 
SACATM is a federally chartered external advisory group of scientists 
from the public and private sectors, including representatives of 
regulated industry and national animal protection organizations. SACATM 
advises the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of 
Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), the National Toxicology Program (NTP) 
Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological 
Methods (NICEATM), and the Director of the National Institute of 
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and NTP regarding statutorily 
mandated duties of ICCVAM and activities of NICEATM. This SACATM 
meeting will be held by webcast only and available to the public for 
remote viewing. Registration is required to access the webcast and to 
present oral comments. Information about the meeting and registration 
are available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/32822.

DATES: 
    Webcast: September 2-3, 2020, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. EDT each day.
    Registration for Webcast: Deadline is September 3, 2020, 3:00 p.m. 
EDT.
    Written Public Comment Submissions: Deadline is August 26, 2020.
    Register to Present Oral Comments: Deadline is August 26, 2020.
    Registration to view the webcast and present oral public comments 
is required.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting web page: The preliminary agenda, registration, and other 
meeting materials are at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/32822.
    Webcast: The meeting will be webcast; information to connect to the 
webcast will be provided to those who register for viewing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Elizabeth Maull, Designated 
Federal Official for SACATM, Office of Liaison, Policy and Review, 
Division of NTP, NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, K2-17, Research Triangle Park, 
NC 27709. Phone: 984-287-3157, Fax: 301-480-3008, Email: 
[email protected]. Hand Deliver/Courier address: 530 Davis Drive, 
Room K2021, Morrisville, NC 27560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Meeting and Registration: The meeting is open to the public with 
time scheduled for oral public comments. Due to restrictions on in-
person gatherings amid ongoing public health concerns, the meeting will 
be convened via webcast.
    SACATM will provide input to ICCVAM, NICEATM, and NIEHS on 
programmatic activities and issues. Preliminary agenda items for the 
upcoming meeting include: (1) SACATM: Past, present, and future; (2) 
fostering international partnerships; (3) curating and characterizing 
data for alternative methods use; and (4) computational resources. 
Please see the preliminary agenda for information about specific 
presentations.
    The preliminary agenda, roster of SACATM members, background 
materials, public comments, and any additional information will be 
posted when available on the SACATM meeting website (https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/32822) or may be requested in hardcopy from the 
Designated Federal Official for SACATM. Following the meeting, summary 
minutes will be prepared and made available on the SACATM meeting 
website.
    The meeting is open to all interested persons to view via webcast. 
Registration is required to view the webcast. Registrants will receive 
instructions on how to access the webcast in the email confirming their 
registration. Individuals who plan to provide oral comments (see below) 
are required to register online at the SACATM meeting website (https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/32822) by August 26, 2020, to facilitate planning 
for the meeting. Individuals are encouraged to visit the website often 
to stay abreast of the most current information regarding the meeting.
    Individuals with disabilities who need accommodation to participate 
in this event should contact Ms. Robbin Guy at phone: (984) 287-3136 or 
email: [email protected]. TTY users should contact the Federal TTY 
Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Requests should be made at least five 
business days in advance of the event.
    Written Public Comments: Written and oral public comments are 
invited for the agenda topics. Guidelines for public comments are 
available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/guidelines_public_comments_508.pdf. The deadline for submission of 
written comments is August 26, 2020. Written public comments should be 
submitted through the meeting website. Persons submitting written 
comments should include name, affiliation, mailing address, phone, 
email, and sponsoring organization (if any). Written comments received 
in response to this notice will be posted on the NTP website, and the 
submitter will be identified by name, affiliation, and sponsoring 
organization (if any).
    Oral Public Comment Registration: The preliminary agenda allows for 
several public comment periods, each allowing up to three commenters a 
maximum of five minutes per speaker. Registration for oral comments is 
on or before August 26, 2020, at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/32822. 
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Each organization 
is allowed one time slot per comment period. After the maximum number 
of speakers per comment period is exceeded, individuals registering to 
submit an oral comment for the topic will be placed on a wait list and 
notified should an opening become available. Commenters will be 
notified after August 26, 2020, to provide logistical information for 
their presentations. If possible, oral public commenters should send a 
copy of their slides and/or statement or talking points to Robbin Guy 
by email: [email protected] by August 26, 2020.
    Meeting Materials: The preliminary meeting agenda will be posted 
when available on the meeting web page at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/32822 and will be updated one week before the meeting. Individuals are 
encouraged to visit this web page often to stay abreast of the most 
current information regarding the meeting.
    Responses to this notice are voluntary. No proprietary, classified, 
confidential, or sensitive information should be included in statements 
submitted in response to this notice or presented during the meeting. 
This request for input is for planning purposes only and is not a 
solicitation for applications or an obligation on the part of the U.S. 
Government to provide support for any ideas identified in

[[Page 38150]]

response to the request. Please note that the U.S. Government will not 
pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for its use of 
that information.
    Background Information on ICCVAM, NICEATM, and SACATM: ICCVAM is an 
interagency committee composed of representatives from 16 federal 
regulatory and research agencies that require, use, generate, or 
disseminate toxicological and safety testing information. ICCVAM 
conducts technical evaluations of new, revised, and alternative safety 
testing methods and integrated testing strategies with regulatory 
applicability and promotes the scientific validation and regulatory 
acceptance of testing methods that more accurately assess the safety 
and hazards of chemicals and products and replace, reduce, or refine 
(enhance animal well-being and lessen or avoid pain and distress) 
animal use.
    The ICCVAM Authorization Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 285l-3) establishes 
ICCVAM as a permanent interagency committee of NIEHS and provides the 
authority for ICCVAM involvement in activities relevant to the 
development of alternative test methods. Additional information about 
ICCVAM can be found at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvam.
    NICEATM administers ICCVAM, provides scientific and operational 
support for ICCVAM-related activities, and conducts and publishes 
analyses and evaluations of data from new, revised, and alternative 
testing approaches. NICEATM and ICCVAM work collaboratively to evaluate 
new and improved testing approaches applicable to the needs of U.S. 
federal agencies. NICEATM and ICCVAM welcome the public nomination of 
new, revised, and alternative test methods and strategies for 
validation studies and technical evaluations. Additional information 
about NICEATM can be found at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/niceatm.
    SACATM, established by the ICCVAM Authorization Act [Section 285l-
3(d)], provides advice on priorities and activities related to the 
development, validation, scientific review, regulatory acceptance, 
implementation, and national and international harmonization of new, 
revised, and alternative toxicological test methods to ICCVAM, NICEATM, 
and Director of NIEHS and NTP. Additional information about SACATM, 
including the charter, roster, and records of past meetings, can be 
found at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/167.

    Dated: June 19, 2020.
Brian R. Berridge,
Associate Director, National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-13672 Filed 6-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P