[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 26059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10014]


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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 via WebEx and teleconference; a pre-
registered public comment session will be held during the meeting. Pre-
registration is required for members of the public who wish to attend 
the meeting via WebEx/teleconference. Individuals who wish to send in 
their written public comment should send an email to [email protected]. 
Registration information is available on the website http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb and must be completed by June 25, 2021. 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 June 29, 2021, from 10:00 
a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and June 30, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 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 
PACCARB at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb when this information becomes 
available. Pre-registration for attending the meeting is strongly 
suggested and should be completed no later than June 25, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Instructions regarding attending this meeting virtually will 
be posted one week prior to the meeting at: 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 20024. Phone: 202-746-1512; Email: 
[email protected].

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 June 29-30, 2021, public meeting will be dedicated to the 
council's deliberation and vote on two reports to transmit to the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the first from the Disparities 
in Antibiotics Access and Use Working Group, and the second from the 
Working Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Inter-Professional 
Education. The remainder of the two-day public meeting will include an 
update on the status of the antibiotic development pipeline and an open 
council discussion on provocative questions in AMR (no recommendations 
will be made), in addition to presentations from subject matter experts 
on Operationalizing One Health and the Environmental Dimensions of AMR. 
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.
    Instructions regarding attending this meeting virtually will be 
posted one week prior to the meeting at: http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb.
    Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide comments 
live during the meeting via conference line by pre-registering online 
at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb. There will be two separate sessions 
available for public comment: An Innovation Spotlight will be held on 
June 29th where companies and/or organizations involved in combating 
antibiotic resistance have an opportunity to present their work to 
members of the Advisory Council; and on June 30th, where all members of 
the general public are welcome to provide oral comment during this 
separate session. Pre-registration is required for participation in 
these sessions with limited spots available. Further information about 
these two sessions can be found online at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb. 
Written public comments can also be emailed to [email protected] by midnight 
June 25, 2021 and should be limited to no more than one page. All 
public comments received prior to June 25, 2021, will be provided to 
Advisory Council members.

    Dated: April 30, 2021.
Jomana F. Musmar,
Designated Federal Officer, Presidential Advisory Council on Combating 
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Health.
[FR Doc. 2021-10014 Filed 5-11-21; 8:45 am]
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