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                              Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID
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Charter








  
  
    

  
      





Authority

The Committee is authorized under 42 U.S.C. 217a, Section 222 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. The Committee is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Chapter 10.).

Objectives and Scope of Activities

The Committee will bring perspectives from outside the government to help inform action of the Executive Branch on Long COVID and associated conditions, with a focus on health equity. The functions of the Committee are solely advisory in nature.

Description of Duties

The Committee will provide recommendations regarding Long COVID and associated conditions to the Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary for Health.

Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports

The Committee will advise and make recommendations to the Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for Health.

Support

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health is responsible for managing and supporting the Committee.

Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years

The estimated annual operating cost of the Committee is $800,000, which includes member travel and compensation, and contract support. The estimated annual 1.5 person-years of staff support is required.

Designated Federal Officer (DFO)

The Director of the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice is the DFO. In the event the DFO cannot fulfill the assigned responsibilities for the Committee, the alternate DFO will be a Chief Medical or Science Officer in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. The DFO will approve the scheduling of all Committee, subcommittee, and workgroup meetings, prepare and approve meeting agendas, attend all Committee and subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when it is determined to be in the public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the official to whom the Committee reports.

Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings

Up to three meetings of the Committee per year are expected. Meetings of the full Committee will be held at the call of the Chair (with the DFO’s approval) or upon request of the Assistant Secretary for Health or Secretary. Meetings will be announced and open to the public except as
determined otherwise by the Secretary or other official to whom authority has been delegated, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c). In the event a meeting or portion of a meeting is closed to the public, in accordance with the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)), an annual report of closed or partially-closed meetings will be prepared, which will contain, at a minimum, a list of members and their business addresses, the Committee’s functions, dates and places of meetings, and a summary of the Committee’s activities and recommendations made during the year. A copy of the report will be provided to the Department Committee Management Official.

Duration

Continuing.

Termination

Unless renewed by appropriate action, the Committee will be terminated two years from the date the charter is filed.

Membership and Designation

Composition of the Committee will reflect the experience of an inclusive and diverse cross- section of persons with Long COVID and multidisciplinary expertise of those supporting and caring for those affected as well as specific clinical, medical, public health, behavioral health, human services, employment, data science, and research expertise. The membership of the Committee will reflect diverse individuals or advocacy organizations, including underserved populations, with a focus on health equity. One voting member will be selected by the Committee to serve as the Chair, with an option for a Vice Chair or separate Co-Chairs. One voting member will be selected by the Committee to serve as the diversity, equity, and inclusion Chair. The Committee members will be invited to serve for overlapping two-year terms of up to four years. A member may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until a successor has taken office.

Up to 20 voting public members will serve as special government employees, as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 202.
	A quorum for the conduct of business by the full Committee will consist of a majority of currently appointed members.
	The following areas of expertise will be considered in selecting the voting members with the goal of achieving a balanced membership in terms of points of view, expertise, and groups represented and functions to be performed by the Committee.
	Long COVID and related groups: Representation from individuals living with Long COVID and organizations directly engaged in supporting people living with Long COVID.
		Professional Associations: Representation from medical professional, behavioral health and human services associations representing practitioners caring for people with Long COVID, including those representing the primary healthcare system.
		Disability and Chronic Illness Groups: Representation from associations, researchers, or organizations focused on disability and chronic illness, and their possible interplay with Long COVID.
		Public Health and related groups: Representation from public health groups supporting communities in addressing the impacts of Long COVID.
		Healthcare and Social Care Providers: Clinical care settings and health systems involved in providing care for patients with Long COVID, including in underserved areas, such as rural communities.
		Employee and Employer Related Groups: Representation from employee and employer experts, attorneys, or organizations involved in addressing the impacts of Long COVID in the workplace, including discrimination.
		Research: Researchers and research institutions involved in Long COVID and associated conditions research.
		Health Equity Groups: Representation from organizations focused on reducing health disparities and focused on underserved communities.
	Non-voting Industry Representatives: Those involved in, or representing those involved in, Long COVID research and development, including prevention, diagnostics, and treatment will be designated to represent the interests of this sector.
	Non-voting Federal Liaisons, without limit, may be solicited, as needed, as ex officio members.Subcommittees

In carrying out its function, the Committee may establish subcommittees, with approval of the Secretary or designee, to assist in carrying out work associated with the mission of the Committee. The subcommittees will be composed of members of the Committee and/or non- member individuals who have expertise and knowledge regarding the topics and issues that are pertinent to the mission of the Committee. The established subcommittees may consider issues in accordance with the charge of the Committee, and will, as appropriate, make reports to the Committee for consideration. The established subcommittees may not report directly to the Secretary or another federal official unless there is specific statutory authority for such reporting. The Department Committee Management Officer will be notified upon establishment of each subcommittee, and will be given information regarding its name, membership, function, cost, and estimated frequency of meetings.

Recordkeeping

Meetings of the Committee and its subcommittees will be conducted according to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, other applicable laws and Departmental policies. Committee and subcommittee records will be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2, Federal Advisory Committee Records or other approved Agency records disposition schedule. These records will be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.

Filing Date:

11/16/2023

Approved:

November 2, 2023
Date

/signed/
Xavier Becerra

                    
  


Content created by Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) Content last reviewed November 16, 2023Back to top
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