13 March 2009

[Federal Register: March 13, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 48)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10952]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13mr09-81]                         


[[Page 10952]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

 
Public Consultation on Personnel Reliability Issues

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public consultation meeting on personnel reliability 
of individuals with access to Select Agents.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), 
an advisory committee of the Federal Government, is hosting a public 
consultation to engage the scientific community and general public in a 
discussion of personnel reliability, with a focus on optimal 
characteristics of individuals with access to Select Agents. This 
public consultation is an opportunity for members of the scientific 
community and general public to provide input on these important 
issues.

Date and Time: The one day public consultation will be held on April 3, 
2009 from 8 a.m.--5:15 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Bethesda Marriott, 
5151 Pooks Hill Rd., Bethesda, MD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Ronna Hill, NIH Office of 
Biotechnology Activities, by e-mail at hillro@od.nih.gov or by 
telephone at 301-435-2137. Faxes may be sent to the NIH Office of 
Biotechnology Activities at 301-496-9839.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Given heightened concerns about insider threats at organizations 
that work with highly pathogenic agents, the Federal government has 
charged the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) 
with recommending a personnel reliability program for individuals with 
access to Select Agents. A portion of their recommendations will 
address the measures that institutions should undertake to assess 
whether individuals are trustworthy and reliable to work with these 
agents.
    The Board appreciates the potential impact that any future 
requirements for personnel reliability programs would have on 
institutions and investigators, and thus is hosting a public 
consultation meeting to engage the scientific community, research 
organizations, and other stakeholders, including the general public, in 
a discussion of the personnel reliability attributes being considered 
by the NSABB.
    The meeting will be structured around several discussion panels. 
The first panel will be background presentations on extant personnel 
reliability programs and aspects of the current Select Agent Programs 
that address personnel reliability. Two subsequent panels will explore 
personnel reliability characteristics under consideration by the NSABB 
and approaches for assessing them. The personnel characteristics 
include scientific and professional integrity, compliance with 
biosafety and biosecurity standards, emotional stability, sound 
judgment, and freedom from vulnerability to coercion. Each panel will 
include ample time for in-depth plenary discussion of the issues 
surrounding each topic. Specific discussion questions will be posted 
ahead of time on the NSABB Web site at: http://
www.biosecurityboard.gov.
    The Board is interested in hearing perspectives from such 
individuals as investigators who work with Select Agents, senior 
research officials at institutions registered for Select Agent work, 
security think tank analysts, responsible officials under the Select 
Agent program, and individuals who promote the responsible conduct of 
research and have studied issues of research integrity. Others are 
equally welcomed and encouraged to participate.
    The meeting is open to the public and free of charge. Due to 
limited space, pre-registration is encouraged. To register, please 
connect to http://www.biosecurityboard.gov. Notice of this meeting will 
also be published in the Federal Register. Any groups or individuals 
who cannot attend the meeting are encouraged to submit in advance of 
the meeting written comments to: nsabb@od.nih.gov Please note that this 
meeting will not be Web cast. More information about the NSABB is 
available at http://www.biosecurityboard.gov.

    Dated: March 9, 2009.
Amy P. Patterson,
Director, Office of Biotechnology Activities, National Institutes of 
Health.
 [FR Doc. E9-5526 Filed 3-12-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4140-01-P