[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 84 (Monday, May 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25649-25650]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09357]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of 
Alternative Methods; Notice of Public Webinar; Request for Public Input

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of 
Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) will hold a public forum to share 
information and facilitate direct communication of ideas and 
suggestions from stakeholders. Interested persons may participate via 
the web meeting platform. Time will be set aside for questions and 
public statements on the topics discussed. Registration is required for 
both webinar viewing and oral statements. Information about the meeting 
and registration are available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvamforum-2022.

DATES: 
    Webinar: May 26-27, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m. EDT 
both days.
    Registration for Webinar: April 11, 2022, until 4:00 p.m. EDT May 
27, 2022.
    Registration for Oral Statements: April 11, 2022, until 4:00 p.m. 
EDT May 20, 2022.
    Registration to view the webinar and present oral public statements 
is required.

ADDRESSES:  Webinar web page: https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvamforum-2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer, Acting 
Director, NICEATM, email: [email protected], telephone: (984) 
287-3150.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: ICCVAM, a congressionally mandated committee, promotes 
the development and validation of alternative testing strategies that 
protect human health and the environment while replacing, reducing, or 
refining animal use.
    ICCVAM's goals include promotion of national and international 
partnerships between governmental and nongovernmental groups, including 
academia, industry, advocacy groups, and other key stakeholders. To 
foster these partnerships ICCVAM convenes an annual public forum to 
share information and facilitate direct communication of ideas and 
suggestions from stakeholders (79 FR 25136).
    This year's meeting will be held on May 26 and 27, 2022. Due to 
restrictions on in-person gatherings amid ongoing public health 
concerns, the public forum will be presented via webinar only. NICEATM 
and ICCVAM members will give presentations on member agencies' current 
activities related to the development and validation of alternative 
test methods and approaches.
    There will be opportunities for registered participants to ask 
clarifying or follow-up questions of the ICCVAM members about their 
presentations during the meeting. Instructions for submitting these 
questions will be provided via email prior to the webinar. The agenda 
will also include time for public oral statements relevant to the 
ICCVAM mission and current activities

[[Page 25650]]

from participants who have registered to do so in advance.
    Preliminary Agenda and Other Meeting Information: A preliminary 
agenda will be posted by May 6 at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvamforum-2022. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit this 
web page to stay abreast of the most current meeting information.
    Webinar and Registration: This webinar is open to the public. 
Registration for the webinar is required and is open from April 11, 
2022, through 4:00 p.m. EDT on May 27, 2022 at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvamforum-2022. Interested individuals are 
encouraged to visit this web page to stay abreast of the most current 
meeting information. Registrants will receive instructions on how to 
access and participate in the webinar in the email confirming their 
registration.
    Request for Oral or Written Public Statements: In addition to time 
for clarifying or follow-up questions following scheduled 
presentations, time will be allotted during the meeting for oral public 
statements with associated slides on topics relevant to ICCVAM's 
mission. Any participant registered for the webinar may ask clarifying 
questions during the appropriate times in the agenda. The additional 
registration is only required for those who wish to give separate 
public statements. Written public statements on topics relevant to 
ICCVAM's mission will also be accepted.
    Separate registration for those wishing to provide oral public 
statements is required and is open from April 11, 2022 through May 20, 
2022 at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvamforum-2022. The number and 
length of public statement presentations may be limited based on 
available time. Submitters will be identified by their name and 
affiliation and/or sponsoring organization, if applicable. Participants 
registered to present oral public statements must email their statement 
to [email protected] by May 20, 2022, to allow time for 
review by NICEATM and ICCVAM and posting to the meeting page prior to 
the forum. Persons presenting oral public statements will be contacted 
to arrange the logistics of their presentations. If participants 
registered to present oral public statements wish to use accompanying 
slides and/or submit supplementary written material, they must email 
these materials to [email protected] by May 20, 2022. This 
deadline is to allow time for review by NICEATM and ICCVAM and posting 
to the meeting page prior to the forum.
    Written statements on topics relevant to ICCVAM's mission may be 
submitted to support an oral public statement or as standalone 
documents. These should be emailed to [email protected] by 
May 20, 2022. Public statements received prior to the May 20, 2022 
deadline will be distributed to NICEATM and ICCVAM members before the 
meeting. Written public statements received after the deadline may be 
reviewed by NICEATM and ICCVAM at a future date.
    Materials submitted to accompany oral public statements or 
standalone written statements should include the submitters name, 
affiliation (if any), mailing address, telephone, email, and sponsoring 
organization (if any) with the document. National Toxicology Program 
guidelines for public statements are at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/guidelines_public_comments_508.pdf.
    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 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 and NICEATM: ICCVAM is an 
interagency committee composed of representatives from 17 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. ICCVAM also 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 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 https://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 https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/niceatm.

    Dated: April 12, 2022.
Brian R. Berridge,
Associate Director, National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-09357 Filed 4-29-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P