2025-01218. Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children

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Department of Health and Human Services

Health Resources and Services Administration

AGENCY:

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice announces that the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC or Committee) has scheduled a public meeting. Information about ACHDNC and the agenda for this meeting can be found on the ACHDNC website at https://www.hrsa.gov/​advisory-committees/​heritable-disorders/​index.html.

DATES:

Thursday, February 13, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. eastern time (ET) and Friday, February 14, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES:

This meeting will be held via webinar. While this meeting is open to the public, advance registration is required. Please visit the ACHDNC website for information on registration, https://www.hrsa.gov/​advisory-committees/​heritable-disorders/​index.html, not later than 12 p.m. ET on February 12, 2025. Instructions on how to access the meeting via webcast will be provided upon registration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

CDR Leticia Manning, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room, Rockville, Maryland 20857; 301-443-8335; or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

ACHDNC provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) on the development of newborn screening activities, technologies, policies, guidelines, and programs for effectively reducing morbidity and mortality in newborns and children having, or at risk for, heritable disorders. The ACHDNC reviews and reports regularly on newborn and childhood screening practices, recommends improvements in the national newborn and childhood screening programs, and fulfills requirements stated in the authorizing legislation. In addition, ACHDNC's recommendations regarding inclusion of additional conditions for screening on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, following adoption by the Secretary, are evidence-informed preventive health services provided for in the comprehensive guidelines supported by HRSA pursuant to section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-13). Under this provision, non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance issuers offering non-grandfathered group or individual health insurance are required to provide insurance coverage without cost-sharing (a co-payment, co-insurance, or deductible) for preventive services for plan years ( i.e., policy years) beginning on or after the date that is 1 year from the Secretary's adoption of the condition for screening.

During the February 13-14, 2025, meeting, ACHDNC will hear from experts in the fields of public health, medicine, heritable disorders, rare disorders, and newborn screening. Possible agenda items may include the following topics:

(1) An interim update on the evidence review of metachromatic leukodystrophy,

(2) A presentation on the Newborn Screening Contingency Plan framework,

(3) A panel discussion on genomic sequencing in newborns,

(4) A presentation on the National Institutes of Health Newborn Screening by Whole Genome Sequencing Collaboratory, and

(5) An update from the ACHDNC Naming and Counting Condition ad hoc topic group and potential Committee vote on a list of conditions that should be considered for evidence review.

Although the agenda includes updates relating to evidence review of conditions that may lead to future votes, the meeting will not include any Committee votes to add conditions to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel. Agenda items are subject to change as priorities dictate. Information about ACHDNC, including a roster of members and past meeting summaries, is also available on the ACHDNC website.

Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide comments on any or all of the above agenda items. Public participants may request to provide general oral comments and may submit written statements in advance of the scheduled meeting. Oral comments will be honored in the order they are requested and may be limited as time allows. Requests to provide a written statement or make oral comments to ACHDNC must be submitted via the registration website by 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Written comments will be shared with the Committee prior to the meeting so that they have an opportunity to consider them in advance of the meeting.

Individuals who need special assistance or another reasonable accommodation should notify CDR Leticia Manning at the address and ( print page 5917) phone number listed above at least 10 business days prior to the meeting.

Maria G. Button,

Director, Executive Secretariat.