Department of Health and Human Services February 20, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the following public meeting: Partnerships to Advance the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA)''. Public Meeting Time and Date: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. EST, February 27, 2008. Place: Patriots Plaza, 395 E Street SW., Conference Room 9000, Washington, DC 20201. Purpose of Meeting: NORA has been structured to engage partners with each other and/or with NIOSH to advance NORA priorities. The NORA Liaison Committee continues to be an opportunity for representatives from organizations with national scope to learn about NORA progress and to suggest possible partnerships based on their organization's mission and contacts. This opportunity is now able to be structured as a public meeting via the Internet in order to attract participation by a larger number of organizations and to enhance the success of NORA. Some of the types of organizations of national scope that are especially encouraged to participate are employers, unions, trade associations, labor associations, professional associations, and foundations. Others are welcome. This meeting will include updates from NIOSH leadership on NORA as well as updates from approximately half of the Councils on their progress, priorities and implementation plans to date, including the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Sector; Healthcare and Social Assistance Sector; Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities Sector; Mining Sector and Oil and Gas Extraction Sub-Sector. After each update, there will be time to discuss partnership opportunities. Status: The meeting is open to the public, limited only by the capacities of the conference call and conference room facilities. There is limited space available in the meeting room (capacity 34). Therefore, information to allow participation in the meeting through the internet (to see the slides) and a teleconference call (capacity 50) will be provided to registered participants. Participants are encouraged to consider attending by this method. Each participant is requested to register for the free meeting by sending an E-mail to noracoordinator@cdc.gov containing the participant's name, organization name, contact phone number on the day of the meeting, and preference for participation by web meeting (requirements include: Computer, internet connection and phone, preferably with ``mute'' capability) or in person. An E-mail confirming registration will include the details needed to participate in the web meeting. Non-U.S. citizens are encouraged to participate in the web meeting. Non-U.S. citizens registering to attend in person after February 15 will not have time to comply with security procedures. Background: The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) is a partnership program to stimulate innovative research in occupational safety and health leading to improved workplace practices. Unveiled in 1996, NORA has become a research framework for the nation. Diverse parties collaborate to identify the most critical issues in workplace safety and health. Partners then work together to develop goals and objectives for addressing those needs and to move the research results into practice. The NIOSH role is facilitator of the process. For more information about NORA, see https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/about.html. Since 2006, NORA has been structured by industrial sectors. Eight sector groups have been defined using the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). After receiving public input through the web and town hall meetings, NORA Sector Councils have been working to define sector-specific strategic plans for conducting research and moving the results into widespread practice. During 2008, most of these Councils will post draft strategic plans for public comment. For more information, see the link above and choose ``Sector-based Approach,'' ``NORA Sector Councils'' and ``Comment on Draft Sector Agendas'' from the right-side menu. Contact Person for Technical Information: Sidney C. Soderholm, Ph.D., NORA Coordinator, https://www.noracoordinator@cdc.gov, (202) 245- 0665.

This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) allow information collection related to implementation of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21 to 299b-26, in: ``Patient Safety Organization Certification and Related Forms and a Patient Safety Confidentiality Complaint Form.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites individuals and organizations to nominate primary and secondary prevention topics pertaining to clinical preventive services that they would like the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to consider for review. All topics previously reviewed by the USPSTF are available on AHRQ's Web site, https://www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov. The USPSTF is an independent panel of experts that makes evidence- based recommendations regarding the provision of clinical preventive services. Clinical preventive services include screening, counseling and preventive medications associated with primary care. The USPSTF makes recommendations about preventive services for asymptomatic peoplepeople without recognized signs or symptoms of the specific conditions targeted by the preventive service. Topics can be nominated by individuals, organizations, evidence- based practice centers (EPC) and USPSTF members. The USPSTF will consider nominations in two steps. The USPSTF will first determine if the service is eligible, i.e., constitutes primary or secondary prevention applicable to healthy asymptomatic persons; is primary care feasible or referable from primary care; and addresses a condition with a substantial health burden. As a second step, within eligible topics, the USPSTF will prioritize based on the following set of criteria: public health importance (burden of suffering, potential of preventive service to reduce the burden); and potential for greatest Task Force impact (e.g., clinical controversy, practice does not reflect evidence, inappropriate timing in delivery of services).