Advisory Committees; Tentative Schedule of Meetings for 2004

AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a tentative schedule of forthcoming meetings of its public advisory committees for 2004. During 1991, at the request of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (the Commissioner), the Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted a study of the use of FDA's advisory committees. In its final report, one of IOM's recommendations was for the agency to publish an annual tentative schedule of its meetings in the Federal Register. This publication implements IOM's recommendation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Theresa L. Green, Advisory Committee Oversight and Management Staff (HF-4), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-1220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

IOM, at the request of the Commissioner, undertook a study of the use of FDA's advisory committees. In its final report in 1992, one of IOM's recommendations was for FDA to adopt a policy of publishing an advance yearly schedule of its upcoming public advisory committee meetings in the Federal Register. FDA has implemented this recommendation. The annual publication of tentatively scheduled advisory committee meetings will provide both advisory committee members and the public with the opportunity, in advance, to schedule attendance at FDA's upcoming advisory committee meetings. Because the schedule is tentative, amendments to this notice will not be published in the Federal Register. However, changes to the schedule will be posted on FDA's advisory committees' Internet site located at http://www.fda.gov/oc/advisory/default.htm . FDA will continue to publish a Federal Register notice 15 days in advance of each upcoming advisory committee meeting, to announce the meeting (21 CFR 14.20).

The following list announces FDA's tentatively scheduled advisory committee meetings for 2004. You may also obtain up-to-date meeting information by calling the Advisory Committee Information Line, 1-800-741-8138 (301-443-0572 in the Washington, DC area).