82 FR 12454 - Request for Nominations of Candidates To Serve on the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 41 (March 3, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 41 (Friday, March 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12454-12455]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04103]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Request for Nominations of Candidates To Serve on the Clinical 
Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC)

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is soliciting 
nominations for membership on CLIAC. CLIAC provides scientific and 
technical advice and guidance to the Secretary, Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS); the Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS; the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the 
Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and the 
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The 
advice and guidance pertain to general issues related to improvement in 
clinical laboratory quality and laboratory medicine. In addition, the 
Committee provides advice and guidance on specific questions related to 
possible revision of the CLIA standards. Examples include providing 
guidance on studies designed to improve safety, effectiveness, 
efficiency, timeliness, equity, and patient-centeredness of laboratory 
services; revisions to the standards under which clinical laboratories 
are regulated; the impact of proposed revisions to the standards on 
medical and laboratory practice; and the modification of the standards 
and provision of non-regulatory guidelines to accommodate technological 
advances, such as new test methods, the electronic transmission of 
laboratory information, and mechanisms to improve the integration of 
public health and clinical laboratory practices.
    CLIAC consists of 20 members including the Chair, represents a 
diverse membership across laboratory specialties, professional roles 
(laboratory management, technical specialists, physicians, nurses) and 
practice settings (academic, clinical, public health), and includes a 
consumer representative. In addition, the Committee includes three ex 
officio members (or designees), including the Director, CDC; the 
Administrator, CMS; and the Commissioner, FDA. A nonvoting 
representative from the Advanced Medical Technology Association 
(AdvaMed) serves as the industry liaison. The Designated Federal 
Official (DFO) or their designee and the Executive Secretary are 
present at all meetings to ensure meetings are within applicable 
statutory, regulatory and HHS General Administration manual directives.
    Request for Candidates: Nominations are being sought for 
individuals who have expertise and qualifications necessary to 
contribute to accomplishing CLIAC's objectives. Nominees will be 
selected by the HHS Secretary or designee from authorities 
knowledgeable across the fields of microbiology (including 
bacteriology, mycobacteriology, mycology, parasitology, and virology), 
immunology (including histocompatibility), chemistry, hematology, 
pathology (including histopathology and cytology), or genetic testing 
(including cytogenetics); representatives from the fields of medical 
technology, public health, and clinical practice; and consumer 
representatives. Members may be invited to serve for terms of up to 
four years.
    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services policy stipulates 
that Committee membership be balanced in terms of points of view 
represented, and the committee's function. Appointments shall be made 
without discrimination on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, 
sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status, disability, and 
cultural, religious, or socioeconomic status. Nominees must be U.S. 
citizens, and cannot be full-time employees of the U.S. Government. 
Current participation on federal workgroups or prior experience serving 
on a federal advisory committee does not disqualify a candidate; 
however, HHS policy is to avoid excessive individual service on 
advisory committees and multiple committee memberships. Committee 
members are Special Government Employees, requiring the filing of 
financial disclosure reports at the beginning and annually during their 
terms. CDC reviews potential candidates for CLIAC membership each year, 
and provides a slate of nominees for consideration to the Secretary of 
HHS for final selection. HHS notifies selected candidates of their 
appointment near the start of the term in July, or as soon as the HHS 
selection process is completed. Note that the need for different 
expertise and individuals to maintain the appropriate demographic 
balance varies from year to year and a candidate who is not selected in 
one year may be reconsidered in a subsequent year.
    Candidates should submit the following items to be considered for 
nomination. The deadline for receipt of materials for the 2018 term is 
May 1, 2017:
     Current curriculum vitae, including complete contact 
information (name,

[[Page 12455]]

affiliation, mailing address, telephone number, email address).
     Letter(s) of recommendation from person(s) not employed by 
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
    Contact Person for More Information: Nancy Anderson, Chief, 
Laboratory Practice Standards Branch, Division of Laboratory Systems, 
Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Office 
of Public Health Scientific Services, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop F-11, Atlanta, Georgia 
30329-4018; telephone (404) 498-2741; or via email at 
[email protected].
    The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been 
delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining to 
announcements of meetings and other committee management activities for 
both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Agency for 
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Elaine L. Baker,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2017-04103 Filed 3-2-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P