106536 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices 

Endnotes 

1 Guidance by the Scientific Integrity 

Framework Interagency Working Group of 

the National Science and Technology 

Council ‘‘A Framework for Federal Scientific 

Integrity Policy and Practice.’’ January 12, 

2023. Available at: https://

www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/ 

2023/01/01-2023-Framework-for-FederalScientific-Integrity-Policy-and-Practice.pdf. 2Some HHS Operating and Staff Divisions 

have or may designate their own Scientific 

Integrity Officials. This document uses ‘‘HHS 

SIO’’ to refer to the official designated by 

HHS to coordinate department-wide 

implementation of this Policy and ‘‘SIO’’ to 

refer to all Scientific Integrity Officials, 

including those at Operating and Staff 

Divisions. 3Presidential Memorandum on Restoring 

Trust in Government Through Scientific 

Integrity and Evidence-Based Policy Making, 

January 27, 2021. Available at: https://

www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/

presidential-actions/2021/01/27/

memorandum-on-restoring-trust-ingovernment-through-scientific-integrity-andevidence-based-policymaking/. 4Presidential Memorandum for the Heads 

of Executive Departments and Agencies on 

Scientific Integrity. March 9, 2009. The 

White House. Available at: https://

obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-pressoffice/memorandum-heads-executivedepartments-and-agencies-3-9-09. 5Presidential Memorandum for the Heads 

of Executive Departments and Agencies on 

Scientific Integrity. December 17, 2010. 

Office of Science and Technology Policy. 

Available at: https://obamawhitehouse.

archives.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ 

ostp/scientific-integrity-memo-12172010.pdf. 6A report by the Scientific Integrity FastTrack Action Committee of the National 

Science and Technology Council. ‘‘Protecting 

the Integrity of Government Science.’’ 

January 11, 2022. Available at: https://

www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/ 

2022/01/01-22-Protecting_the_Integrity_of_

Government_Science.pdf. 7 Guidance by the Scientific Integrity 

Framework Interagency Working Group of 

the National Science and Technology 

Council ‘‘A Framework for Federal Scientific 

Integrity Policy and Practice.’’ January 12, 

2023. Available at: https://

www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/ 

2023/01/01-2023-Framework-for-FederalScientific-Integrity-Policy-and-Practice.pdf. 8Examples may include (1) suppressing a 

decisionmaker’s ability to offer the best 

judgment based on scientific information; (2) 

preventing the use of best available science; 

(3) insisting on preclearance of a scientific 

product for purposes other than providing 

advance notification or opportunity to review 

for technical merit; (4) suppressing, altering 

or delaying the release of a scientific product 

for any reason other than technical merit or 

providing advance notification; (5) removing 

or reassigning scientific personnel for any 

reason other than performance, conduct or 

budgetary constraints; (6) using scientific 

products that are not representative of the 

current state of scientific knowledge and 

research (for example because of a lack of 

appropriate peer review, poor methodology, 

or flawed analyses) to inform decision 

making and policy formulation; or (7) 

misrepresenting the underlying assumptions, 

uncertainties, or probabilities of scientific 

products. This is not intended to be an 

exhaustive list. 9 Differences of scientific opinion are not 

necessarily inappropriate influence. 10See Federal Research Misconduct Policy, 

65 FR 76260, 76262 (Dec. 6, 2000); see also 

https://ori.hhs.gov/definition-researchmisconduct. 11Public Law 112–199 § 110. 12 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8). 13See Health Extenders, Improving Access 

to Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP, and 

Strengthening Public Health Act of 2022, 

Public Law 117–328, Division FF, Title II, 

Section 2321 (Jan 3, 2023) and Chips and 

Science Act, Public Law 117–167, Title VI, 

Subtitle D, Section 10631 (Aug 9, 2022). 

OSTP guidance and relevant HHS policies to 

implement this legislation are forthcoming at 

the time of publication of this policy. 14HHS Grants Policy Statement, U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services, 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Resources and Technology, Office of Grants. 

January 1, 2007. Available at: https://

www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/ 

grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf. 15HHS Grants Policy Administration 

Manual Version 1.02. November 13, 2023. 16 45 CFR 75.372. 17Presidential Memorandum for the Heads 

of Executive Departments and Agencies on 

Increasing Access to the Results of Federally 

Funded Scientific Research. Available at: 

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/ 

default/files/microsites/ostp/ostp_public_

access_memo_2013.pdf. 18Presidential Memorandum for the Heads 

of Executive Departments and Agencies on 

Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable 

Access to Federally Funded Research. 

Available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/ 

wp-content/uploads/2022/08/08-2022-OSTPPublic-Access-Memo.pdf. 19This provision is further outlined in the 

United States Office of Government Ethics 

Standards of Conduct and 18 U.S.C. 208 as 

Applied to Official Social Media Use. 

Available at: https://oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/

News Releases/EAE37A7DA3C38

BF38525894700775339/$FILE/LA-23-03

%20The%20Standards%20

of%20Conduct%20and%2018%20U.S.C.

%20%C2%A7%20208%20as%20Applied

%20to%20Official%20Social

%20Media%20Use.pdf. 20Memorandum to Designated Agency 

Ethics Officials on The Standards of Conduct 

as Applied to Personal Social Media Use. 

Available at: https://www.oge.gov/web/ 

oge.nsf/0/195DAE83D38EF6A9852585B

A005BEC69/$FILE/LA-15-03-2.pdf. 21Office of Management and Budget. 

‘‘Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer 

Review.’’ Federal Register. Doc. 05–769. 

Available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/ 

documents/2005/01/14/05-769/finalinformation-quality-bulletin-for-peer-review. 22 5 U.S.C. 7513, 4303. 23Commissioned Corps Directive 111.02. 24Subject to the limitations and 

requirements as to participation in foreign 

talent programs outlined in I.12–13 of this 

policy. 25 2010 Memorandum from the White 

House Office of Science and Technology 

Policy on Scientific Integrity. Available at: 

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/ 

default/files/microsites/ostp/scientificintegrity-memo-12172010.pdf. 26See https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/ 

whistleblower/. Employees can also contact 

their OpDiv/StaffDiv’s office of Equal 

Employment Opportunity (‘‘EEO’’) for 

information regarding retaliation based on 

protected EEO activity or discrimination, or 

the Office of Special Counsel for information 

regarding retaliation based on 

whistleblowing. Additionally, although 

encouraged to use the process detailed 

herein, employees may also disclose 

wrongdoing to their supervisor or another 

individual higher up in management, the 

HHS OIG, the Office of Special Counsel, or 

to Congress. PHSCC officers should also refer 

to CCD 121.06, ‘‘Protected Communications,’’ 

CCD 111.01, ‘‘Equal Opportunity,’’ and CCI 

211.03, ‘‘Equal Opportunity.’’ 27https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/

before-you-submit/. 

Dated: December 16, 2024. 

Katherine N. Bent, 

Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office 

of Science and Data Policy, Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Planning and 

Evaluation, Department of Health and 

Human Services. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30934 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 a.m.] 

BILLING CODE 4150–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Health Information Technology 

Advisory Committee Schedule of 

Meetings 

AGENCY: Assistant Secretary for 

Technology Policy (ASTP), HHS. 

ACTION: Notice of meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Health Information 

Technology Advisory Committee 

(HITAC) was established in accordance 

with the 21st Century Cures Act and the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act. The 

HITAC, among other things, identifies 

priorities for standards adoption and 

makes recommendations to the 

Assistant Secretary for Technology 

Policy/National Coordinator for Health 

Information Technology. The HITAC 

will hold public meetings throughout 

2025. See list of public meetings below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Seth 

Pazinski, Designated Federal Officer, at 

Seth.Pazinski@hhs.gov, (202) 384–2246. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

4003(e) of the 21st Century Cures Act 

(Pub. L. 114–255) establishes the Health 

Information Technology Advisory 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices 106537 

Committee (referred to as the ‘‘HITAC’’). 

The HITAC will be governed by the 

provisions of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L. 92– 

463), as amended, (5 U.S.C. app.), which 

sets forth standards for the formation 

and use of federal advisory committees. 

Composition: The HITAC is 

comprised of at least 25 members, of 

which: 

• No fewer than 2 members are 

advocates for patients or consumers of 

health information technology; 

• 3 members are appointed by the 

HHS Secretary 

Æ 1 of whom shall be appointed to 

represent the Department of Health and 

Human Services; and 

Æ 1 of whom shall be a public health 

official; 

• 2 members are appointed by the 

majority leader of the Senate; 

• 2 members are appointed by the 

minority leader of the Senate; 

• 2 members are appointed by the 

Speaker of the House of Representatives; 

• 2 members are appointed by the 

minority leader of the House of 

Representatives; 

• Other members are appointed by 

the Comptroller General of the United 

States. 

Members serve for one-, two-, or 

three-year terms. All members may be 

reappointed for a subsequent three-year 

term. Each member is limited to two 

three-year terms, not to exceed six years 

of service. Members serve without pay 

but will be provided per-diem and 

travel costs for committee services, if 

warranted. 

Recommendations: The HITAC 

recommendations to the Assistant 

Secretary for Technology Policy/ 

National Coordinator for Health 

Information Technology are publicly 

available at https://www.healthit.gov/ 

topic/federal-advisory-committees/ 

recommendations-national-coordinatorhealth-it. 

Public Meetings: All HITAC meetings 

will be virtual. Please note that some 

HITAC meetings may also have an inperson meeting option. For web 

conference instructions and the most 

up-to-date information, including inperson meeting location (if applicable), 

please visit the HITAC calendar on the 

ONC website, www.healthit.gov/topic/ 

federal-advisory-committees/hitaccalendar. 

The schedule of meetings to be held 

in 2025 is as follows: 

• February 13, 2025, from 

approximately 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./ 

Eastern Time 

• March 20, 2025, from 

approximately 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./ 

Eastern Time 

• April 10, 2025, from approximately 

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./Eastern Time 

• May 8, 2025, from approximately 

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./Eastern Time 

• June 12, 2025, from approximately 

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./Eastern Time 

• July 17, 2025, from approximately 

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./Eastern Time 

• August 14, 2025, from 

approximately 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./ 

Eastern Time 

• September 18, 2025, from 

approximately 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./ 

Eastern Time 

• October 16, 2025, from 

approximately 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./ 

Eastern Time 

• November 13, 2025, from 

approximately 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./ 

Eastern Time 

All meetings are open to the public. 

Additional meetings may be scheduled 

as needed. 

Contact Person for Meetings: Seth 

Pazinski, Seth.Pazinski@hhs.gov. A 

notice in the Federal Register about last 

minute modifications that impact a 

previously announced advisory 

committee meeting cannot always be 

published quickly enough to provide 

timely notice. Please email Seth 

Pazinski for the most current 

information about meetings. 

Agenda: As outlined in the 21st 

Century Cures Act, the HITAC will 

develop and submit recommendations 

to the Assistant Secretary for 

Technology Policy/National Coordinator 

on Health Information Technology on 

the topics of interoperability, privacy 

and security, patient access to 

information, use of technologies that 

support public health, design and use of 

technologies that advance health equity, 

and use of artificial intelligence that 

improves health and health care. In 

addition, the committee will also 

address any administrative matters and 

hear periodic reports from ASTP. ASTP 

intends to make background material 

available to the public no later than 24 

hours prior to the meeting start time. If 

ASTP is unable to post the background 

material on its website prior to the 

meeting, the material will be made 

publicly available on ASTP’s website 

after the meeting, at www.healthit.gov/ 

hitac. 

Procedure: 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 prior to the meeting date. An 

oral public comment period will be 

scheduled at each meeting. Time 

allotted for each commenter will be 

limited to three minutes. If the number 

of speakers requesting to comment is 

greater than can be reasonably 

accommodated during the scheduled 

public comment period, ASTP will take 

written comments after the meeting. 

ASTP welcomes the attendance of the 

public at its HITAC meetings. If you 

require special accommodations due to 

a disability, please contact Seth Pazinski 

at least seven (7) days in advance of the 

meeting. 

Notice of these meetings are given 

under the Federal Advisory Committee 

Act (Pub. L. No. 92–463, 5 U.S.C., App. 

2). 

Dated: November 22, 2024. 

Stanley S. Pazinski, 

Designated Federal Officer, Assistant 

Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the 

National Coordinator for Health Information 

Technology. 

[FR Doc. 2024–31076 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–45–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Indian Health Service 

Organization, Functions, and 

Delegations of Authority; Part G; 

Indian Health Service; Headquarters, 

Office of the Director, Office of Quality 

AGENCY: Indian Health Service, 

Department of Health and Human 

Services. 

ACTION: Final notice. 

SUMMARY: Part G of the Statement of 

Organization, Functions, and 

Delegations of Authority of the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) is hereby amended to 

reflect a reorganization of the Indian 

Health Service (IHS). The purpose of 

this reorganization proposal is to update 

the current approved IHS, Office of the 

Director (GA), Congressional and 

Legislative Affairs Staff (GA1) and the 

Office of Quality (GAP) in their entirety 

and replace with the following: 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IHS is 

an Operating Division within the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) and is under the 

leadership and direction of a Director 

who is directly responsible to the 

Secretary of Health and Human 

Services. The IHS Headquarters is 

proposing to reorganize the following 

major component: Office the Office of 

Quality (OQ). 

Part G of the Statement of 

Organization, Functions, and 

Delegations of Authority was most 

recently amended at 89 FR 61126, July 

30, 2024. 


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