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[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 76473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27870]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and 
Availability

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability will 
meet to review progress and solicit additional comments from the 
Committee regarding numerous recommendations made over the past year. 
Specifically, the Committee will hear updates and discuss previous 
recommendations on Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI) and 
access to treatment for individuals with rare blood disorders. The 
Committee will also review the progress made by the AABB (formerly 
known as the American Association of Blood Banks) Task Force on 
Bacterial Contamination to identify potential studies to standardize, 
validate, and determine the predictive value of bacterial testing with 
the intent to extend the dating of platelet products from five to seven 
days and the possible pre-storage pooling of whole blood derived 
platelets. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 
reimbursement issues related to blood and blood products, including 
plasma-derived therapeutics and their recombinant analogs will be 
reviewed. In addition, the Committee will be asked to discuss/comment 
on strategies for addressing infectious agents (known or emerging) that 
potentially could affect the blood supply.

DATES: The meeting will take place Tuesday, January 25, 2005 and 
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The meeting will be 
open to the public after 9 a.m. on the first day.

ADDRESSES: Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 5701 
Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852 (301-984-0004). Please 
note that this is a change in location from the previous two meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry A. Holmberg, Ph.D., Executive 
Secretary, Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability, Office 
of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services, 
1101 Wootton Parkway, Room 250, Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 443-4741, FAX 
(301) 443-4788, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public comment will be solicited at the 
meeting and will be limited to five minutes per speaker. Anyone 
planning to comment is encouraged to contact the Executive Secretary at 
his/her earliest convenience. Those who wish to have printed material 
distributed to Advisory Committee members should submit thirty (30) 
copies to the Executive Secretary prior to close of business January 
21, 2005. Likewise, those who wish to utilize electronic data 
projection to the Committee must submit their materials to the 
Executive Secretary prior to close of business January 21, 2005.

    Dated: December 16, 2004.
Jerry A. Holmberg,
Executive Secretary, Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and 
Availability.
[FR Doc. 04-27870 Filed 12-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-28-P
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