[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63083-63084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22553]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Request for Information on Research Opportunities Related to the 
National Institutes of Health Scientific Workshop on Gender-Affirming 
Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Populations

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Through this Request for Information (RFI), the Sexual & 
Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO) in the Division of Program 
Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI), Office of 
the Director (OD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), invites 
feedback from stakeholders throughout the scientific research 
community, clinical practice communities, patient and family advocates, 
scientific or professional organizations, federal partners, internal 
NIH stakeholders, and other interested constituents on research 
opportunities related to the upcoming NIH Scientific Workshop on 
Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Populations. 
Current evidence-based clinical practices are available for health 
professionals to assist transgender and gender-diverse populations but 
additional research is needed to advance this area of care. The 
overarching purpose of this workshop is to identify and prioritize key 
infrastructure and research needed to further our understanding of 
gender affirming care for transgender and gender diverse populations 
across the life course. Various populations (e.g., people with HIV, 
people with other co-morbidities and complications, racial and ethnic 
minorities, etc.) and settings (academic medical centers, Federally 
Qualified Health Centers, community hospitals, HIV care settings, etc.) 
will be considered.

DATES: The SGMRO's Request for Information is open for public comment 
for a period of 4 weeks. Comments must be received on or before COB 
(5:00 p.m. ET) November 18, 2022, to ensure consideration. After the 
public comment period has closed, the comments received by SGMRO will 
be considered in a timely manner and shared with invitees to the 
Scientific Workshop on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender and 
Gender-Diverse Populations.

ADDRESSES: Please see the supplementary information to view the draft 
domains and themes of focus for the Scientific Workshop on Gender-
Affirming Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Populations. It is 
strongly encouraged to submit comments by email to [email protected]. 
Please include ``RFI: Gender-Affirming Care Scientific Workshop'' in 
the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irene Avila, Ph.D., Assistant 
Director, Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO), 
[email protected], (301) 594-9701.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: ``Sexual and gender minority'' 
is an overarching term that includes, but is not limited to, 
individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, 
transgender, two-spirit, queer, and/or intersex. Individuals with same-
sex or -gender attractions or behaviors and those with a difference in 
sex development are also included. These populations also encompass 
those who do not self-identify with one of these terms but whose sexual 
orientation, gender identity or expression, or reproductive development 
is characterized by non-binary constructs of sexual orientation, 
gender, and/or sex. This Notice is in accordance with Section 404N of 
the 21st Century Cures Act (Pub. L. 114-255), the Director of NIH shall 
encourage research on SGM populations.
    The Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO) (https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/sgmro) coordinates sexual and gender minority (SGM)-
related research and activities by working directly with the NIH 
Institutes, Centers, and Offices. The Office was officially established 
in September 2015 within the NIH Division of Program Coordination, 
Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) in the Office of the 
Director.
    In September 2020, SGMRO posted the NIH Strategic Plan to Advance 
Research on the Health and Well-Being of Sexual and Gender Minorities 
FY 2021-2025 (https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/SGMStrategicPlan_2021_2025.pdf). The current strategic plan provides 
NIH with a framework to improve the health of SGM populations through 
increased research and support of scientists conducting SGM-relevant 
research.
    Request for Comments on Research Opportunities Related to the 
National Institutes of Health Scientific Workshop on Gender-Affirming 
Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Populations: The NIH is hosting 
a workshop to enhance our understanding of gender-affirming care for 
transgender and gender-diverse populations and to identify 
opportunities in gender-affirming care research, including but not 
limited to non-medical interventions. There are currently evidence-
based clinical practices available for health professionals to assist 
transgender and gender-diverse populations but additional research is 
needed. The SGMRO invites input from stakeholders throughout the 
scientific research community, clinical practice communities, patient 
and family advocates, scientific or professional organizations, federal 
partners, internal NIH stakeholders, and other interested members of 
the public on research opportunities related to the four domains 
highlighted below. This input will serve as a valuable element in the 
development of the workshop and subsequent report, and the community's 
time and consideration are highly appreciated. Please provide comments 
across the following three themes:

 Pediatric and adolescent care
 Adult and older adult care
 Systemic and Institutional Policies

    The NIH seeks comments and/or suggestions from all interested 
parties on key research opportunities in gender-affirming care for 
transgender and gender-diverse populations.
    Responses to this RFI are voluntary. Do not include any 
proprietary, classified, confidential, trade secret, or sensitive 
information in your response. The responses will be reviewed by NIH 
staff, and individual feedback will not be provided to any responder. 
The Government will use the information submitted in response to this 
RFI at its discretion. The Government reserves the right to use any 
submitted information on public NIH websites; in reports; in summaries 
of the state of the science; in any possible resultant solicitation(s), 
grant(s), or cooperative agreement(s); or in the development of future 
funding opportunity announcements.
    This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and should 
not be construed as a solicitation for applications or proposals, or as 
an obligation in any way on the part of the United States Federal 
Government, the NIH, or individual NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices 
to provide support for any ideas identified in response to it. The 
Federal Government will not pay for the preparation of any information 
submitted or for the Government's use of such information.
    No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a 
result of a response to this RFI or from the Government's use of such 
information. Additionally, the Government cannot

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guarantee the confidentiality of the information provided.

     Dated: October 11, 2022.
Tara A. Schwetz,
Acting Principal Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2022-22553 Filed 10-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P