[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 138 (Thursday, July 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38720-38721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15611]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2021-0071; NIOSH-341]


World Trade Center Health Program; 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 soliciting public comment on the scope of an upcoming funding 
announcement for FY2022 regarding the World Trade Center (WTC) Health 
Program's research priorities involving WTC survivors. 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 August 23, 2021.

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-2021-0071; NIOSH-341) 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: \3\
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    \3\ 42 U.S.C. 300mm-51(a).
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     Physical and mental health conditions that may be related 
to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;

[[Page 38721]]

     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

    The WTC Health Program conducts research among members receiving 
monitoring or treatment in the Program and in sampled populations 
outside the New York City disaster area in Manhattan as far north as 
14th Street and in Brooklyn. WTC survivors include individuals who 
lived, worked, went to school, or attended child or adult day care in 
the NYC Disaster Area on September 11, 2001, or in the following days, 
weeks, or months and those otherwise meeting the eligibility criteria 
in 42 CFR 88.8. NIOSH is soliciting public comments from any interested 
party regarding research priorities for WTC Health Program FY2022 
research projects on WTC survivors (adults and children) and similar 
survivor populations south of 14th street in Manhattan and in Brooklyn. 
Specifically, NIOSH seeks input on the following questions:
    (1) What are the most important research gaps that need to be 
addressed within the scope of the research solicitation? (For NIOSH-
funded research projects related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist 
attacks and areas of interest based on the Program's Research Agenda, 
please visit the WTC Health Program Research Gateway.)
    (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 WTC survivors (adults 
and/or children) and similar survivor populations south of 14th street 
in Manhattan and in Brooklyn?

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. 2021-15611 Filed 7-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P