National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors; Announcement of Meeting; Request for Comments

AGENCY:

National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the next meeting of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC). The BSC, a federally chartered, external advisory group composed of scientists from the public and private sectors, will review and provide advice on programmatic activities. This meeting is by webcast only and is open to the public. Registration is requested for oral comment and is required to access the webcast. Information about the meeting and registration are available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165 .

DATES:

Meeting: October 9, 2018; 1:00—4:00 p.m. (EDT).

Written Public Comment Submissions: Deadline is October 1, 2018.

Oral Comments: Deadline is October 1, 2018.

Registration to view the webcast: Deadline October 9, 2018.

Registration to view the meeting via the webcast is required.

ADDRESSES:

Meeting Webpage: The preliminary agenda, registration, and other meeting materials are at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165 .

Webcast: The meeting will be webcast; the URL will be provided to those who register for viewing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Mary Wolfe, Designated Federal Official for the BSC, Office of Liaison, Policy and Review, Division of NTP, NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, K2-03, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Phone: 984-287-3209, Fax: 301-451-5759, Email: wolfe@niehs.nih.gov. Hand Deliver/Courier address: 530 Davis Drive, Room K2130, Morrisville, NC 27560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The BSC will provide input to the NTP on programmatic activities and issues. Preliminary agenda topics include discussions on strategic realignment of NTP and updates on peer reviews. Please see the preliminary agenda for information about the specific presentations. The preliminary agenda, roster of BSC members, background materials, public comments, and any additional information, when available, will be posted on the BSC meeting website ( http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165 ) or may be requested in hardcopy from the Designated Federal Official for the BSC. Following the meeting, summary minutes will be prepared and made available on the BSC meeting website.

Meeting and Registration: The meeting is open to the public with time scheduled for oral public comments. Registration to view the webcast is by October 9, 2018, at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165 . Registration is required to view the webcast; the URL for the webcast will be provided in the email confirming registration. TTY users should contact the Federal TTY Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Requests should be made at least five business days in advance of the event.

Written Public Comments: NTP invites written and oral public comments on the agenda topics. Guidelines for public comments are available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/guidelines_public_comments_508.pdf . The deadline for submission of written comments is October 1, 2018. Written public comments should be submitted through the meeting website. Persons submitting written comments should include name, affiliation, mailing address, phone, email, and sponsoring organization (if any). Written comments received in response to this notice will be posted on the NTP website, and the submitter will be identified by name, affiliation, and sponsoring organization (if any).

Oral Public Comments: Registration for oral comments is on or before October 1, 2018, at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165 . Oral comments will be received only during the formal public comment periods indicated on the preliminary agenda. Oral comments may be by teleconference line. The access number for the teleconference line will be provided to registrants by email prior to the meeting. Each organization is allowed one time slot, and five minutes will be allotted to each time slot.

Meeting Materials: The preliminary meeting agenda is available on the meeting web page ( http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165 ) and will be updated one week before the meeting. Individuals are encouraged to access the meeting web page to stay abreast of the most current information regarding the meeting.

Background Information on the BSC: The BSC is a technical advisory body comprised of scientists from the public and private sectors that provides primary scientific oversight to the NTP. Specifically, the BSC advises the NTP on matters of scientific program content, both present and future, and conducts periodic review of the program for the purpose of determining and advising on the scientific merit of its activities and their overall scientific quality. Its members are selected from recognized authorities knowledgeable in fields such as toxicology, pharmacology, pathology, biochemistry, epidemiology, risk assessment, carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, molecular biology, behavioral toxicology, neurotoxicology, immunotoxicology, reproductive toxicology or teratology, and biostatistics. Members serve overlapping terms of up to four years. The BSC usually meets biannually. The authority for the BSC is provided by 42 U.S.C. 217a, section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS), as amended.

The BSC is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. app.), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.