[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84607-84608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24486]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2024-0082; NIOSH-354]


World Trade Center Health Program; Request for Information

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), within the CDC, is soliciting public comment on the scope of 
two upcoming research funding announcements forecasted for FY2026. The 
World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program is interested in soliciting 
applications for Cooperative Research Agreements Related to the World 
Trade Center Health Program (RFA-OH-26-001) and for Assessment and 
Evaluation of Emerging Health Conditions Relevant to the World Trade 
Center Health Program (RFA-OH-26-002). Forecasts are published in 
grants.gov. The WTC Health Program supports research to help answer 
critical questions about potential September 11, 2001-related physical 
and mental health conditions, as well as research on diagnosing and 
treating health conditions on the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions 
(List).

DATES: Comments must be received by November 22, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted through either of the following 
two methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov 
(follow the instructions for submitting comments), or

[[Page 84608]]

    <bullet> By Mail: NIOSH Docket Office, Robert A. Taft Laboratories, 
MS C-34, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226-1998.
    Instructions: All written submissions received in response to this 
notice must include the agency name (Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, HHS) and docket number (CDC-2024-0082; NIOSH-354) for this 
action. All relevant comments, including any personal information 
provided, will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Weiss, Program Analyst, 1090 
Tusculum Avenue, MS: C-48, Cincinnati, OH 45226; telephone (404) 498-
2500 (this is not a toll-free number); email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ed0d7d1cdd6ecfbf9eddefdfafdb0f9f1e8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="236d6a6c706b51464450634047400d444c55">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title I of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and 
Compensation Act of 2010 (Zadroga Act) (Pub. L. 111-347, as amended by 
Pub. L. 114-113, Pub. L. 116-59, Pub. L. 117-328, and Pub. L. 118-31), 
added Title XXXIII to the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act),\1\ 
establishing the WTC Health Program within HHS. The WTC Health Program 
provides medical monitoring and treatment benefits for health 
conditions on the List \2\ 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). The Program also provides benefits 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Title XXXIII of the PHS Act is codified at 42 U.S.C. 300mm-
300mm-64. Those portions of the Zadroga Act found in Titles II and 
III of Public Law 111-347 do not pertain to the WTC Health Program 
and are codified elsewhere.
    \2\ The List of WTC-Related Health Conditions is established in 
42 U.S.C. 300mm-22(a)(3)-(4) and 300mm-32(b); additional conditions 
may be added through rulemaking and the complete List is provided in 
WTC Health Program regulations at 42 CFR 88.15.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Zadroga Act also requires that the Program conduct or support 
research on health conditions that may result from the September 11, 
2001, terrorist attacks, addressing the following topics:
    <bullet> Physical and mental health conditions that may be related 
to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;
    <bullet> Diagnosing WTC-related health conditions for which there 
have been diagnostic uncertainty; and
    <bullet> Treating WTC-related health conditions for which there 
have been treatment uncertainty.
    For more information on NIOSH-funded research projects related to 
the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and areas of interest based 
on the Program's Research Agenda, please visit the WTC Health Program 
Research web page (https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/research.html).

Request for Information

    To further relevant WTC Health Program research in FY2026, NIOSH 
has forecasted two notices of funding opportunities: (1) RFA-OH-26-001: 
Cooperative Research Agreements Related to the World Trade Center 
Health Program (https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/356163) and 
(2) RFA-OH-26-002: Assessment and Evaluation of Emerging Health 
Conditions Relevant to the World Trade Center Health Program (https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/356164).
    NIOSH seeks to achieve a suitable mix of meritorious research 
projects which assess the feasibility of new ways to enhance 
interventions and program evaluations with the potential to improve WTC 
Health Program treatment and care, and the overall well-being of 9/11-
exposed populations. Clinical research areas of interest include 
methods, interventions, or procedures which can improve the screening, 
diagnosis, and treatment of WTC-related health conditions and care for 
those exposed. NIOSH expects that such clinical research outcomes will 
incorporate relevant epidemiological aspects and use research results 
to improve treatment and care. Assessment and evaluation of treatment 
and care programs for WTC-related health conditions and exposed 
populations are also of interest. Additional details are provided in 
the forecasts for these proposed funding opportunities (please refer to 
the links included in this notice).
    Specifically, NIOSH seeks input on research priorities with regard 
to the following questions:
    (1) What are the primary research needs for the 9/11-exposed 
population, such as WTC responders, screening-eligible WTC survivors, 
or certified-eligible WTC survivors?
    (2) What are the primary health concerns that are potentially 
related to 9/11 exposure, or the treatment thereof, and how do they 
differ among groups within the 9/11-exposed population?
    (3) What emerging health conditions that may be related to 9/11 
exposure should be prioritized and addressed?

John J. Howard,
Administrator, World Trade Center Health Program and Director, National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-24486 Filed 10-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>