Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 37 / Friday, February 24, 1995 / Notices 10395

respondents, academic administrators,

as well as students—to understand their

particular experiences and perspectives

and to explore possible improvements.

Three major areas are currently of

great interest to the Commission:

1. A New Definition of Research

Misconduct. The Commission believes

that any definition needs to address the

full extent of serious research

misconduct, but must avoid a definition

that is too broad, vague, and potentially

unfair. In addition, a two-tiered

approach for research integrity, or

failures thereof, would be useful; it

would emphasize institutional

responsibility, and reserve an oversight

role for the Federal Government.

2. Assurance for Institutions and

Accountability for Federally-Funded

Research. The Commission is

considering that each institution

receiving Federal funds develop and

submit for Federal review and approval

assurances concerning the

establishment and implementation of:

(a) Good research practices and

professional norms; (b) procedures for

disseminating that information

throughout its community; and (c)

educational activities designed to foster

practice of the highest ethical standards

in the conduct of research for all

researchers. Topics affecting good

research practices that might be

addressed in institutional assurances

include: data recording and retention;

supervisory responsibility; authorship

practices; protection of witnesses; and

other professional conduct bearing

directly on the integrity of Federally

supported research.

3. Bill of Rights for Witnesses.

Testimony from witnesses (also called

‘‘whistleblowers’’) who had challenged

perceived research misconduct reaffirms

the Commission’s mandate to propose

effective whistleblower protection rules.

Witnesses have stated that retaliation

occurs with sufficient frequency and

impact to have a chilling effect on

potential witnesses throughout the

research community. The Commission

is considering a Witness Bill of Rights

and procedures for its implementation.

The Commission will also continue

its discussion of other issues on which

the Commission is planning to make

recommendations in its final report.

The Commission is inviting oral or

written statements from interested

parties. Lengthy statements exceeding

10 or 15 minutes of oral presentation

should be submitted in writing to the

Executive Secretary before or at the

meeting. Each statement will be

reviewed by Commission Members.

Henrietta D. Hyatt-Knorr, Executive

Secretary, Commission on Research

Integrity, at Rockwall II, Suite 700, 5515

Security Lane, Rockville MD 20852,

(301) 443–5300 or (301) 443–9369 (voice

mail), will furnish the Committee

charter, a roster of the Committee

members upon request, a preliminary

report of the Commission, and a meeting

agenda upon request. Members of the

public wishing to make presentations

should contact the Executive Secretary.

Depending on the number of

presentations and other considerations,

the Executive Secretary will allocate a

reasonable timeframe for each speaker.

Henrietta D. Hyatt-Knorr,

Executive Secretary, Commission on Research

Integrity.

[FR Doc. 95–4550 Filed 2–23–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–17–P

Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research

Filing of Annual Reports of Federal

Advisory Committees

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant

to Section 13 of the Federal Advisory

Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2), the

Annual Reports prepared for the public

by the committees set forth below have

been filed with the Library of Congress:

Health Care Policy and Research Special

Emphasis Panel

Health Care Technology Study Section

Health Services Research and Developmental

Grants Review Committee

Health Services Research Dissemination

Study Section

National Advisory Council for Health Care

Policy, Research and Evaluation

Copies of these reports, prepared in

accordance with Section 10(d) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act, are

available to the public for inspection at:

(1) The Library of Congress, Special

Forms Reading Room, Main Building,

on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30

p.m.; and (2) the Information Resource

Center, Agency for Health Care Policy

and Research, Suite 501, 2101 East

Jefferson Street, Rockville, Maryland, on

weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Copies may be obtained from Mr.

James E. Owens, Committee

Management Officer, Agency for Health

Care Policy and Research, Suite 601,

2101 East Jefferson Street, Rockville,

Maryland 20852.

Dated: February 14, 1995.

Clifton R. Gaus,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 95–4551 Filed 2–23–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–90–P

Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research Meeting

In accordance with section 10(a) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5

U.S.C., Appendix 2) announcement is

made of the following special emphasis

panel scheduled to meet during the

month of March 1995:

Name: Health Care Policy and Research

Special Emphasis Panel.

Date and Time: March 9–10, 1995, 8:30

a.m.

Place: Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 1750

Rockville Pike, Parklawn Room, Rockville,

Maryland 20852.

Open March 9, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Closed for remainder of meeting.

Purpose: This Panel is charged with

conducting the initial review of grant

applications on research that will provide

convincing evidence for or against the

effectiveness and cost effectiveness of

alternative interventions used to prevent,

diagnose, treat, and manage common clinical

conditions.

Agenda: The open session of the meeting

on March 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. will

be devoted to a business meeting covering

administrative matters. During the closed

session, the committee will be reviewing

grant applications dealing with complex,

clinical medical effectiveness issues in

response to the medical treatment

effectiveness PORT II initiative. In

accordance with the Federal Advisory

Committee Act, 5 U.S.C., Appendix 2 and 5

U.S.C., 552b(c)(6), the Administrator, Agency

for Health Care Policy and Research, has

made a formal determination that this latter

session will be closed because the

discussions are likely to reveal personal

information concerning individuals

associated with the grant applications. This

information is exempt from mandatory

disclosure.

Anyone wishing to obtain a roster of

members or other relevant information

should contact Gerald E. Calderone, Ph.D.,

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research,

Suite 602, 2101 East Jefferson Street,

Rockville, Maryland 20852, Telephone (301)

594–2462.

Agenda items for this meeting are subject

to change as priorities dictate.

Dated: February 16, 1995.

Clifton R. Gaus,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 95–4552 Filed 2–23–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M

Health Care Financing Administration

[OPL–004–N]

Medicare Program; Meeting of the

Practicing Physicians Advisory

Council

AGENCY: Health Care Financing

Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.