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World Trade Center Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee (WTCHP STAC) Meeting
January 2018
NIOSH Docket Number 248-G, CDC-2018-0002
The Committee meeting was held on, March 1, 2018 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Eastern Time. Public comment were provided from 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time.
The meeting included discussions on recommendations regarding the identification of individuals to conduct independent peer reviews of the evidence that would be the basis for issuing final rules to add a health condition to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions, and World Trade Center Health-Related Research.
To view the notice and related materials, visit http://www.regulations.gov and enter CDC-2018-0002 in the search field and click “Search.”
Federal Register Notice: Federal Register Notice [PDF – 186 KB]
Background Information: The Advisory Committee was established by Title I of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-347 (January 2, 2011), amended by Pub. L. 114-113 (Dec. 18, 2015), adding Title XXXIII to the Public Health Service Act (codified at 42 U.S.C. sec. 300mm to 300mm-61).
PURPOSE: The purpose of the Advisory Committee is to review scientific and medical evidence and to make recommendations to the World Trade Center (WTC) Program Administrator regarding additional WTC Health Program eligibility criteria, potential additions to the list of covered WTC-related health conditions, and research regarding certain health conditions related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Title XXXIII of the PHS Act established the WTC Health Program within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The WTC Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment benefits to eligible firefighters and related personnel, law enforcement officers, and rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers who responded to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania (responders), and to eligible persons who were present in the dust or dust cloud on September 11, 2001 or who worked, resided, or attended school, childcare, or adult daycare in the New York City disaster area (survivors). Certain specific activities of the WTC Program Administrator are reserved to the Secretary, HHS, to delegate at his discretion; other WTC Program Administrator duties not explicitly reserved to the Secretary, HHS, are assigned to the Director, NIOSH. The administration of the Advisory Committee is left to the Director of NIOSH in his role as WTC Program Administrator. CDC and NIOSH provide funding, staffing, and administrative support services for the Advisory Committee. The charter was reissued on May 12, 2017, and will expire on May 12, 2019.
Policy on Redaction of Committee Meeting Transcripts (Public Comment): Transcripts will be prepared and posted to http://www.regulations.gov within 60 days after the meeting. If a person making a comment gives his or her name, no attempt will be made to redact that name. NIOSH will take reasonable steps to ensure that individuals making public comments are aware of the fact that their comments (including their name, if provided) will appear in a transcript of the meeting posted on a public Website. Such reasonable steps include a statement read at the start of the meeting stating that transcripts will be posted and names of speakers will not be redacted. If individuals in making a statement reveal personal information (e.g., medical information) about themselves, that information will not usually be redacted. The CDC Freedom of Information Act coordinator will, however, review such revelations in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and, if deemed appropriate, will redact such information. Disclosures of information concerning third party medical information will be redacted.