[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 84 (Monday, May 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 25649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09317]



[[Page 25649]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 
Draft 2022-2027 Strategic Plan

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication 
Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is requesting 
public comment on the draft 2022-2027 NIDCD Strategic Plan. The 
Strategic Plan serves as a guide to the NIDCD in prioritizing its 
research investment and to address gaps in our research portfolio. The 
draft Plan presents a series of themes and goals that represent the 
most promising research needs within the NIDCD's mission areas of 
hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language.

DATES: Comments will be accepted from May 2, 2022 through May 31, 2022.

ADDRESSES: The draft Plan is available for download at: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/about/strategic-plan/2022-2027/public-comment. 
Comments must be submitted electronically via the web-based form at: 
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/about/strategic-plan/2022-2027/public-comment. The web-based form accepts text but cannot accept attachments. 
You will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of 
your response but will not receive individualized feedback from NIDCD 
on any comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Specific questions regarding the NIDCD 
draft Strategic Plan should be directed to: Laura K. Cole, Ph.D., 
Planning and Evaluation Officer, Science Policy and Planning Branch, 
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, 
31 Center Drive, Suite 3C25, Bethesda, MD 20892. Phone: 301-402-2313. 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is in accordance with the 21st 
Century Cures Act, wherein NIH institutes are required to regularly 
update their strategic plans. The NIDCD's mission is to support 
research and training on the normal and disordered processes of 
hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Our vision 
is to advance the science of communication to improve lives. To 
accomplish these goals, the NIDCD manages a broad portfolio of both 
basic, translational, and clinical research. The portfolio is organized 
into three program areas: Hearing and balance; taste and smell; and 
voice, speech, and language. The three program areas seek to answer 
fundamental scientific questions about normal function and disorders 
and to identify patient-oriented scientific discoveries for preventing, 
screening, diagnosing, and treating disorders of human communication.
    Responses to this request for comments are voluntary. Any personal 
identifiers (e.g., names, addresses, email addresses, etc.) will be 
removed when responses are compiled. Proprietary, classified, 
confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your 
response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary 
technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
    This request for comment is for information and planning purposes 
only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation 
on the part of the Federal Government, or the NIH. The NIH does not 
intend to award a grant or contract to pay for the preparation of any 
information submitted or for the NIH's use of such information. No 
basis for claims against the NIH shall arise as a result of a response 
to this request for information or the NIH's use of such information as 
part of the NIDCD Strategic Plan.
    The NIDCD anticipates that the finalized plan will be published on 
the NIDCD website in Fall 2022.

    Dated: March 25, 2022.
Timothy J. Wheeles,
Executive Officer, National Institute on Deafness and Other 
Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2022-09317 Filed 4-29-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P