[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 74 (Thursday, April 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 21239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07982]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Docket No. CDC-2020-0035; NIOSH-334]
World Trade Center Health Program Research Agenda; Request for
Information
AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS.
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
is opening a docket to solicit public comment on the scope of upcoming
funding announcements for the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program
research funding cycle for FY2021. The WTC Health Program's research
program helps answer critical questions about potential 9/11-related
physical and mental health conditions as well as diagnosing and
treating health conditions on the List of WTC-Related Health
Conditions.
DATES: Comments must be received by June 1, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted through either of the following
two methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov
(follow the instructions for submitting comments), or
By Mail: NIOSH Docket Office, Robert A. Taft Laboratories,
MS C-34, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226-1998.
Instructions: All written submissions received in response to this
notice must include the agency name (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, HHS) and docket number (CDC-2020-0035; NIOSH-334) for this
action. All relevant comments, including any personal information
provided, will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Weiss, Program Analyst, 1090
Tusculum Avenue, MS: C-48, Cincinnati, OH 45226; telephone (855) 818-
1629 (this is a toll-free number); email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title I of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and
Compensation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-347, as amended by Pub. L. 114-
113 and Pub. L. 116-59), added Title XXXIII to the Public Health
Service (PHS) Act,\1\ establishing the WTC Health Program within the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The WTC Health Program
provides medical monitoring and treatment benefits for health
conditions on the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions (List) \2\ to
eligible firefighters and related personnel, law enforcement officers,
and rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers who responded to the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, at the
Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania (responders). The Program
also provides benefits to eligible persons who were present in the dust
or dust cloud on September 11, 2001, or who worked, resided, or
attended school, childcare, or adult daycare in the New York City
disaster area (survivors).
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\1\ Title XXXIII of the PHS Act is codified at 42 U.S.C. 300mm
to 300mm-61. Those portions of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and
Compensation Act of 2010 found in Titles II and III of Public Law
111-347 do not pertain to the WTC Health Program and are codified
elsewhere.
\2\ The List of WTC-Related Health Conditions is established in
42 U.S.C. 300mm-22(a)(3)-(4) and 300mm-32(b); additional conditions
may be added through rulemaking and the complete list is provided in
WTC Health Program regulations at 42 CFR 88.15.
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The Zadroga Act also requires that the Program establish a research
program on health conditions resulting from the September 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks, addressing the following topics:
Physical and mental health conditions that may be related
to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;
Diagnosing WTC-related health conditions for which there
have been diagnostic uncertainty; and
Treating WTC-related health conditions for which there
have been treatment uncertainty.
Request for Information
To establish the scope of the next 5-year research project funding
cycle of the WTC Health Program, NIOSH is soliciting public comments
from any interested party. Specifically, NIOSH seeks input on research
priorities involving the WTC Health Program population of responders
and survivors on the following questions:
(1) What are the most important research gaps that need to be
addressed within the scope of the research solicitation?
(2) What are the most important areas of diagnostic and treatment
uncertainty that could most benefit from intervention research
(information that bridges the gap between science and practice, care,
or treatment by addressing the barriers, challenges, and needs to
advance implementation of new or improved treatment, care, or
practices)?
(3) What are the primary research needs of responders and
survivors?
John J. Howard,
Administrator, World Trade Center Health Program and Director, National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-07982 Filed 4-15-20; 8:45 am]
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