[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 229 (Thursday, November 30, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83560-83561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26320]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Meetings 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 virtual 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 and will be streamed live on 
hhs.gov/live. A pre-registered public comment session will be held 
during the meeting. Pre-registration is required for members of the 
public who wish to present their comments live during the virtual 
meeting. Individuals who wish to provide written public comment should 
send an email to [email protected] that includes their written comments. 
Registration information is available on the website http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb and should be completed by December 18, 2023 for 
the December 20, 2023 virtual Public Meeting. Additional information 
about registering for the meeting and providing public comment can be 
obtained at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb on the Upcoming Meetings page. 
HHS is also giving notice of the appointment of 16 new PACCARB 
councilmembers that will be sworn-in in preparation of the December 20, 
2023 virtual public meeting.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled to be held on December 20, 2023, from 9 
a.m. to 4 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 
December 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES: The virtual meeting can be accessed through a live webcast 
on the day of the meeting. Additional instructions regarding attending 
this meeting virtually will be posted at least 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, 1101 Wootton Parkway, 
Rockville, MD 20852. 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 PACCARB 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 of Health and Human Services 
(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 Advisory Council is authorized to consist of at least 30 
members, including the voting and non-voting members and the Chair and 
Vice Chair. The current composition of the Advisory Council consists of 
15 voting members, including the Chair and Vice Chair, eight non-voting 
liaison representative members, and 12 non-voting ex-officio members. 
In March of 2023, the terms of 16 councilmembers ended, and an 
announcement was published August 1, 2022 and closed on September 19, 
2022 to solicit nominations to fill the open PACCARB positions, nine of 
which were in the voting member category, including the Chair and Vice-
Chair positions, while the remaining seven were in the non-voting 
liaison member category. These positions have been filled and the new 
PACCARB members will be sworn-in in preparation for the December 20, 
2023, virtual public meeting. Newly appointed voting members were 
selected to serve four-year terms, and non-voting liaison members were 
appointed to serve for two-year terms. The full roster of 
councilmembers, including the 16 new members, can be found on the 
Membership page at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb.
    The December 20, 2023, virtual public meeting will be dedicated to 
current global U.S. federal efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance 
in response to a task from the Secretary given to the PACCARB in 2023. 
The signed task letter from the Secretary can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb. The meeting agenda will be posted on the PACCARB 
website at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb when it has been finalized. All 
agenda items and times are tentative and subject to change. 
Instructions regarding attending the meeting virtually will be posted 
at least one week prior to the meeting at: http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb.
    Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide comments 
during the December meeting by pre-registering online at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb. Pre-registration is required for participation in 
this session with limited spots available. Written public comments can 
also be emailed to [email protected] by midnight December 18, 2023 and 
should be limited to no more than one page. All public comments 
received prior to December 18, 2023, will be provided to the PACCARB 
members. Additionally, companies and/or organizations involved in 
combating antibiotic resistance have an opportunity to present their 
work to members of the

[[Page 83561]]

PACCARB live during an Innovation Spotlight. Pre-registration is 
required for participation, with limited spots available. All 
information regarding this session can also be found online at http://www.hhs.gov/paccarb.

    Dated: November 9, 2023.
Jomana F. Musmar,
Designated Federal Officer, Presidential Advisory Council on Combating 
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Health.
[FR Doc. 2023-26320 Filed 11-29-23; 8:45 am]
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