2021-15611. World Trade Center Health Program; Request for Information

AGENCY:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS.

ACTION:

Request for information.

SUMMARY:

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is soliciting public comment on the scope of an upcoming funding announcement for FY2022 regarding the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program's research priorities involving WTC survivors. The WTC Health Program's research program helps answer critical questions about potential 9/11-related physical and mental health conditions as well as diagnosing and treating health conditions on the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions.

DATES:

Comments must be received by August 23, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted through either of the following two methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov (follow the instructions for submitting comments), or
• 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-2021-0071; NIOSH-341) 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 [phone] (this is a toll-free number); email [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title I of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-347, as amended by Pub. L. 114-113 and Pub. L. 116-59), added Title XXXIII to the Public Health Service (PHS) Act,^[1] establishing the WTC Health Program within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The WTC Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment benefits for health conditions on the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions (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).

The Zadroga Act also requires that the Program establish a research program on health conditions resulting from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, addressing the following topics: ^[3]

• Physical and mental health conditions that may be related to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;
• Diagnosing WTC-related health conditions for which there have been diagnostic uncertainty; and
• Treating WTC-related health conditions for which there have been treatment uncertainty.

Request for Information

The WTC Health Program conducts research among members receiving monitoring or treatment in the Program and in sampled populations outside the New York City disaster area in Manhattan as far north as 14th Street and in Brooklyn. WTC survivors include individuals who lived, worked, went to school, or attended child or adult day care in the NYC Disaster Area on September 11, 2001, or in the following days, weeks, or months and those otherwise meeting the eligibility criteria in 42 CFR 88.8. NIOSH is soliciting public comments from any interested party regarding research priorities for WTC Health Program FY2022 research projects on WTC survivors (adults and children) and similar survivor populations south of 14th street in Manhattan and in Brooklyn. Specifically, NIOSH seeks input on the following questions:

(1) What are the most important research gaps that need to be addressed within the scope of the research solicitation? (For 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 Gateway.)

(2) What are the most important areas of diagnostic and treatment uncertainty that could most benefit from intervention research (information that bridges the gap between science and practice, care, or treatment by addressing the barriers, challenges, and needs to advance implementation of new or improved treatment, care, or practices)?

(3) What are the primary research needs of WTC survivors (adults and/or children) and similar survivor populations south of 14th street in Manhattan and in Brooklyn?

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.

Footnotes

1.  Title XXXIII of the PHS Act is codified at 42 U.S.C. 300mm to 300mm-61. Those portions of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 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.

3.  42 U.S.C. 300mm-51(a).