[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 4319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01275]
[[Page 4319]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Extension of Comment Period for the Notice and Request for
Comments on the Implications of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
Commitments/Regimes and Other Proposed Commitments Being Considered
Under a WHO Convention, Agreement or Other International Instrument on
Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
AGENCY: Office for Global Affairs, Office of the Secretary, HHS.
ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: This document extends the comment period for the Notice and
Request for Comments on the Implications of Access and Benefit Sharing
(ABS) Commitments/Regimes and Other Proposed Commitments Being
Considered Under a WHO Convention, Agreement or Other International
Instrument on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response that
appeared in the December 22, 2023, issue of the Federal Register. The
comment period for the notice, which is due to close on January 22,
2024, is extended to January 31, 2024.
DATES: The comment period for the notice published December 22, 2023,
at 88 FR 88637, is extended. To be assured consideration, comments must
be received no later than 5 p.m. Eastern time January 31, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be emailed to [email protected] with
the subject line ``Written Comment Re: Implications of Access and
Benefit Sharing (ABS) Commitments/Regimes and Other Proposed
Commitments in the WHO Pandemic Agreement'' by January 31, 2024.
Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent
practicable.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Kim, Office for Global Affairs,
Office of the Secretary, HHS, Room (639H) Hubert H. Humphrey Building,
200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The original notice with full
details is available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/12/22/2023-28341/notice-and-request-for-comments-on-the-implications-of-access-and-benefit-sharing-abs.
In December 2021, WHO's Member States decided at a Special Session
of the World Health Assembly to establish an intergovernmental
negotiating body (INB), representing all regions of the world, to draft
and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or other international
instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. More
information about the INB process can be found here: https://inb.who.int/home/inb-process. The INB currently intends to submit its
outcome to the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly in May 2024.
The United States has expressed support for the development of an
international instrument to protect the world from pandemic health
threats now and in the future, and in a more rapid and equitable
manner. Full details on the negotiating text and the outcomes sought by
the United States are available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/12/22/2023-28341/notice-and-request-for-comments-on-the-implications-of-access-and-benefit-sharing-abs.
Purpose: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and
the Department of State are charged with co-leading the U.S. delegation
to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate
a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on
pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Specific topics and questions: Stakeholders are invited to provide
comments on any and all issues raised by the negotiating text,
including potential vehicles and means for implementation of
commitments to which the U.S. may subscribe. To the extent commenters
choose to comment on specific provisions of the negotiating text, it is
helpful to reference any articles or sub-articles being addressed.
To provide additional time for interested parties to consider and
comment on the negotiating text, the Department is extending the
comment period for all comments through January 31, 2024.
Susan Kim,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Global Affairs,
Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-01275 Filed 1-19-24; 8:45 am]
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