81 FR 884 - National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Revisions to the Vaccine Injury Table

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 5 (January 8, 2016)

This document announces a public hearing to receive information and views on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Revisions to the Vaccine Injury Table.''

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 884-885]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00156]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

42 CFR Part 100

RIN 0906-AB00


National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Revisions to the 
Vaccine Injury Table

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document announces a public hearing to receive 
information and views on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) 
entitled ``National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Revisions to 
the Vaccine Injury Table.''

DATES: January 14, 2016, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (EST).

ADDRESSES: 5600 Fishers Lane, Conference Room 08SWH01, Rockville, 
Maryland 20857 (and via audio conference call and Adobe Connect).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Melissa Houston, Director, 
Division of Injury Compensation Programs, at 855-266-2427 or by email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secretary proposes to amend the Vaccine 
Injury Table (Table) by regulation. These proposed regulations will 
have effect only for petitions for compensation under the National 
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) filed after the final 
regulations become effective. The Secretary is seeking public comment 
on the proposed revisions to the Table.
    The NPRM was published in the Federal Register, July 29, 2015, 80 
FR 45132, http://www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-07-29/pdf/2015-17503.pdf. The public comment period closes on January 26, 2016.
    A public hearing will be held within the 180-day public comment 
period. This hearing is to provide an open forum for the presentation 
of information and views concerning all aspects of the NPRM by 
interested persons.
    In preparing a final regulation, the Secretary will consider the 
administrative record of this hearing along with all other written 
comments received during the comment period specified in the NPRM. 
Individuals or representatives of interested organizations are invited 
to participate in the public hearing in accordance with the schedule 
and procedures set forth below.
    The presiding officer representing the Secretary, HHS will be Dr. 
Melissa Houston, Director, Division of Injury Compensation Programs, 
Healthcare Systems Bureau (HSB), Health Resources and Services 
Administration.
    Persons who wish to participate are requested to file a notice of 
participation with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on 
or before January 11, 2016. The notice should be mailed to Annie 
Herzog, Division of Injury Compensation Programs, HSB, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Room 08N146B, Maryland 20857 or emailed to 
[email protected]. To ensure timely handling, any outer envelope or the 
subject line of an email should be clearly marked ``DICP NPRM 
Hearing.'' The notice of participation should contain the interested 
person's name, address, email address, telephone number, any business 
or organizational affiliation of the person desiring to make a 
presentation, a brief summary of the presentation, and the approximate 
time requested for the presentation. Groups that have similar interests 
should consolidate their comments as part of one presentation. Time 
available for the hearing will be allocated among the persons who 
properly file notices of participation. If time permits, interested 
parties attending the hearing who did not submit notice of 
participation in advance will be allowed to make an oral presentation 
at the conclusion of the hearing.
    Persons who find that there is insufficient time to submit the 
required information in writing may give oral notice of participation 
by contacting Annie Herzog, Division of Injury Compensation Programs, 
at (301) 443-6634 or email at [email protected], no later than January 
11, 2016.
    After reviewing the notices of participation and accompanying 
information, HHS will schedule each appearance and notify each 
participant by mail, email, or telephone of the time allotted to the 
person(s) and the approximate time the person's oral presentation is 
scheduled to begin.
    Written comments and transcripts of the hearing will be made 
available for public inspection as soon as they have been prepared, on 
weekdays (federal holidays excepted) between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 
5 p.m. (EDT) by contacting Annie Herzog by mail at

[[Page 885]]

Division of Injury Compensation Programs, Room 08N146B, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, email at [email protected], or phone at 
301-443-6634. We intend to post written comments and transcripts to 
regulations.gov as soon as practicable. The public can join the meeting 
by:
    1. (In Person) Persons interested in attending the meeting in 
person are encouraged to submit a written notification to: Annie 
Herzog, Division of Injury Compensation Programs, Healthcare Systems 
Bureau (HSB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 5600 
Fishers Lane, Room 08N146B, Rockville, Maryland 20857 or email: 
[email protected]. Since this meeting is held in a federal government 
building, attendees will need to go through a security check to enter 
the building and participate in the meeting. This written notification 
is encouraged so that a list of attendees can be provided to make entry 
through security quicker. Persons may attend in person without 
providing written notification, but their entry into the building may 
be delayed due to security checks and the requirement to be escorted to 
the meeting by a federal government employee. To request an escort to 
the meeting after entering the building, call Annie Herzog at 301-443-
6634. The meeting will be held at 5600 Fishers Lane, Conference Room 
08SWH01, Rockville, Maryland 20857. Individuals who plan to attend and 
need special assistance, such as sign language interpretation or other 
reasonable accommodations, should notify the contact person listed 
above at least 10 days prior to the meeting.
    2. (Audio Portion) Calling the conference phone number 888-455-9673 
and providing the following information:
    Leaders Name: Dr. A. Melissa Houston.
    Password: 4185364.
    3. (Visual Portion) Connecting to the ACCV Adobe Connect Pro 
Meeting using the following URL: https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/accv/ (copy and paste the link into your browser if it does not work 
directly, and enter as a guest). Participants should call and connect 
15 minutes prior to the meeting in order for logistics to be set up. If 
you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting, please test your 
connection using the following URL: https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm and get a quick overview by 
following URL: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview. Call (301) 
443-6634 or send an email to [email protected] if you are having trouble 
connecting to the meeting site.

    Dated: January 4, 2016.
Sylvia M. Burwell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-00156 Filed 1-7-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P