Notice: Moving Into the Future--New Dimensions and Strategies for Women's 
Health Research for the National Institutes of Health; Notice

Federal Register: January 15, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 10)            
                  Page 2553-2554

Agency:  DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
         National Institutes of Health

 
    Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research on Women's 
Health (ORWH), Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, 
Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the 
Emory University School of Medicine will convene a public hearing and 
scientific workshop February 16-17, 2010, at Emory University School of 
Medicine, James B. Williams Medical Education Building, Atlanta, 
Georgia.

Purpose of the Meeting

    With rapid advances in science and wider global understanding of 
women's health and sex/gender contributions to well-being and disease, 
the purpose of the meeting is to ensure that NIH continues to support 
cutting edge women's health research that is based upon the most 
advanced techniques and methodologies. The meeting format is designed 
to promote an interactive discussion involving leading scientists, 
advocacy groups, public policy experts, health care providers, and the 
general public. With a focus upon women's cardiovascular health, the 
meeting at Emory University School of Medicine is convened to assist 
the ORWH and the NIH to move into the next decade of women's health 
research.
    As science and technology advance and fields such as computational 
biology demonstrate the power of interdisciplinary research, it remains 
critical for sex and gender factors to be integrated into broad 
experimental methodologies and scientific approaches across the 
lifespan. Biomedical and behavioral research are also necessary to 
understand how cultural, ethnic, and racial differences influence the 
causes, diagnosis, progression, treatment, and outcome of disease among 
different populations, including women of diverse geographic locations 
and socioeconomic backgrounds. Furthermore, health differences among 
diverse populations of women remain a critical area in need of 
continued focus and attention.
    The ORWH challenges all meeting attendees to assist the NIH in 
defining the women's health research agenda of the future by thinking 
beyond traditional women's health issues. With a special focus upon 
women's cardiovascular health, ORWH and NIH ask meeting participants to 
consider creative strategies that need to be employed to identify areas 
of research that are best poised for advancement, identify innovative 
ways in which persistent issues of health and disease can be addressed, 
and explore new horizons of scientific concepts and investigative 
approaches. Attention also needs to be paid to new areas of science 
application, new technologies, and continuing basic science 
investigations. Clinical questions that are not currently the focus of 
research priorities need to be considered to ensure that women's health 
research is optimally served and that the ORWH can continue to provide 
leadership for the benefit of women's health, nationally and 
internationally.

Meeting Format

    The meeting will consist of public testimony, scientific panels and 
seven concurrent scientific working groups. Specifically, on February 
16, individuals representing a full spectrum of organizations 
interested in biomedical and behavioral research on women's health 
issues will have an opportunity to provide public testimony from 10:30 
a.m.-12 p.m. The seven concurrent scientific working groups meeting on 
February 16 in afternoon sessions will focus on a range of women's 
cardiovascular health issues, including the following: pregnancy and 
cardiovascular disease research and ethical considerations; 
cardiovascular disease in elderly and frail elderly women--optimal 
management and research; microvascular disease, biomechanics, and 
application of new technologies to cardiovascular research; stem cells, 
progenitor cells, and the vista of cardiovascular regenerative

[[Page 2554]]

medicine; unmet needs in diagnostic testing for women with 
cardiovascular disease; issues of cardiovascular prevention across the 
lifespan with an emphasis on gender and underserved populations; and 
women's careers in the biomedical sciences. On February 17, the morning 
session will be devoted to reports by the working group co-chairs 
regarding the recommendations emerging from working group deliberations 
on the previous day. The meeting will adjourn at 12:15 p.m. on February 
17.

Public Testimony

    ORWH invites individuals with an interest in research related to 
women's health to provide written and/or oral testimony on these topics 
and/or on issues related to the sustained advancement of women in 
various biomedical careers. Due to time constraints, only one 
representative from an organization or professional specialty group may 
submit oral testimony. Individuals not representing an organized entity 
but a personal point of view are similarly invited to present written 
and/or oral testimony. A letter of intent to present oral testimony is 
necessary and should be sent electronically to http://
www.orwhmeetings.com/movingintothefuture/Emory or by mail to Ms. Jory 
Barone, Educational Services, Inc., 4350 East West Highway, Suite 1100, 
Bethesda, MD 20814, no later than midnight February 1, 2010. The date 
of receipt of the communication will establish the order of those 
selected to give oral testimony at the February meeting.
    Those wishing to present oral testimony are also asked to submit a 
written form of their testimony that is limited to a maximum of 10 
pages, double spaced, 12-point font, and should include a brief 
description of the organization. Electronic submission to the above Web 
site is preferred; however, for those who do not have access to 
electronic means, written testimony, bound by the restrictions 
previously noted and postmarked no later than February 1, 2010, can be 
mailed to Ms. Jory Barone at the above address. All written 
presentations must meet the established page limitations. Submissions 
exceeding this limit will not be accepted and will be returned. Oral 
testimony of this material at the meeting will be limited to no more 
than 5-6 minutes in length.
    Because of time constraints for oral testimony, testifiers may not 
be able to present the complete information as it is contained in their 
written form submitted for inclusion in the public record for the 
meeting. Therefore, testifiers are requested to summarize the major 
points of emphasis from the written testimony not to exceed 6 minutes 
of oral testimony. Those individuals and/or organizations who have 
indicated that they will present oral testimony at the meeting in 
Atlanta, will be notified prior to the meeting regarding the 
approximate time for their oral presentation.
    Individuals and organizations wishing to provide written statements 
only should send a copy of their statements, electronically or by mail, 
to the above Web site or address by February 1, 2010. Written testimony 
received by that date will be made available at the February 16-17 
meeting.
    Logistics questions related to the meeting should be addressed to 
Ms. Jory Barone, joryb@esi-dc.com at ESI, while program-specific 
questions should be addressed to Dr. Nanette K. Wenger at the Emory 
University School of Medicine, Atlanta, 404-616-4420, 
nwenger@emory.edu.
    The resulting report to the ORWH and the NIH will ensure that 
women's health research in the coming decade continues to support a 
vigorous research agenda incorporating the latest advances in 
technology and cutting edge science in support of women's 
cardiovascular health.

    Dated: January 8, 2010.
Francis S. Collins,
Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2010-665 Filed 1-14-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P