[Federal Register: February 26, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 38)]
[Notices]               
[Page 8910]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26fe03-68]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

 
Advisory Committee on Special Studies Relating to the Possible 
Long-Term Health Effects of Phenoxy Herbicides and Contaminants (Ranch 
Hand Advisory Committee); Notice of Meeting

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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    This notice announces a forthcoming meeting of a public advisory 
committee of the Department of Health and Human Services. At least one 
portion of the meeting will be closed to the public.
    Name of Committee: Advisory Committee on Special Studies Relating 
to the Possible Long-Term Health Effects of Phenoxy Herbicides and 
Contaminants (Ranch Hand Advisory Committee).
    General Function of the Committee: The committee advises the 
Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health concerning its 
oversight of the conduct of the Ranch Hand Study by the U.S. Air Force 
and provides scientific oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) Army Chemical Corps Vietnam Veterans Health Study, and other 
studies in which the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary for Health 
believes involvement by the committee is desirable.
    Date and Time: The meeting will be held on March 13, 2003, 8 a.m. 
to 5:30 p.m.
    Location: San Diego Marriott La Jolla, 4240 La Jolla Village Dr., 
Newport-Irvine Room, La Jolla, CA 92037.
    Contact Person: Leonard M. Schechtman, National Center for 
Toxicological Research (HFT-10), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 
Fishers Lane, rm. 16-85, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-6696, or FDA 
Advisory Committee Information Line, 1-800-741-8138 (301-443-0572 in 
the Washington, DC area), code 12560. Please call the Information Line 
for up-to-date information on this meeting.
    Agenda: The Air Force will present information on the following: 
Personnel changes and contract actions; cancer incidence; mortality, 
review of latest findings; diabetes, summarize the latest analysis of 
the insulin sensitivity study; hypertension, summarize the latest 
analysis, including the skin exposure index results; thyroid, review 
latest results; statistics on study compliance to cycle 6; data 
release--the latest results on consent for future use of data; and 
study shutdown and transfer of data.
    Procedure: On March 13, 2003, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 3 
p.m. to 5:30 p.m. the meeting is open to the public. Interested persons 
may present data, information, or views, orally or in writing, on 
issues pending before the committee. Written submissions may be made to 
the contact person by March 5, 2003. Oral presentations from the public 
will be scheduled between approximately 11 a.m. to 12 noon. Time 
allotted for each presentation may be limited. Those desiring to make 
formal oral presentations should notify the contact person before March 
5, 2003, and submit a brief statement of the general nature of the 
evidence or arguments they wish to present, the names and addresses of 
proposed participants, and an indication of the approximate time 
requested to make their presentation.
    Closed Committee Deliberations: On March 13, 2003, from 
approximately 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the meeting will be closed to permit 
discussion where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted 
invasion of personal privacy (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6)). The closed portion 
of the meeting will allow for discussion between the committee members 
and study participants currently undergoing health assessments, 
pertaining to their participation in the Ranch Hand Study.
    Persons attending FDA's advisory committee meetings are advised 
that the agency is not responsible for providing access to electrical 
outlets.
    FDA welcomes the attendance of the public at its advisory committee 
meetings and will make every effort to accommodate persons with 
physical disabilities or special needs. If you require special 
accommodations due to a disability, please contact Leonard M. 
Schechtman at least 7 days in advance of the meeting.
    Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app. 2).

    Dated: February 14, 2003.
Linda Arey Skladany,
Associate Commissioner for External Relations.
[FR Doc. 03-4492 Filed 2-25-03; 8:45 am]

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