Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 34 / Tuesday, February 21, 2006 / Notices 8859

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND of the Public Health Service Act to HUMAN SERVICES HUMAN SERVICES conduct directly or by grants or contracts, research, experiments, and Office of the National Coordinator; Office of the National Coordinator; demonstrations relating to occupational American Health Information American Health Information safety and health and to mine health. Community Chronic Care Workgroup Community Consumer Empowerment The BSC shall provide guidance to the Meeting Workgroup Meeting Director, NIOSH on research and prevention programs. Specifically, the ACTION: Announcement of meeting. ACTION: Announcement of meeting. board shall provide guidance on the institute’s research activities related to SUMMARY: SUMMARY: This notice announces the This notice announces the developing and evaluating hypotheses, third meeting of the American Health third meeting of the American Health Information Community Consumer systematically documenting findings Information Community Chronic Care and disseminating results. The board Workgroup in accordance with the Empowerment Workgroup in accordance with the Federal Advisory shall evaluate the degree to which the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. activities of NIOSH: (1) Conform to L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C., App.) Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C., App.) appropriate scientific standards, (2) DATES: March 22, 2006 from 1 p.m. to address current, relevant needs, and (3) DATES: March 20, 2006 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. produce intended results. 5 p.m. ADDRESSES: Hubert H. Humphrey Matters to be Discussed: Agenda items ADDRESSES: Hubert H. Humphrey Building (200 Independence Ave., SW., include a report from the Director, Building (200 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20201), Conference NIOSH; progress report by BSC working Washington, DC 20201), Conference Room 705A. group on the health hazard evaluation Room 705A. program; update on revisions to the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: http://www.hhs.gov/healthit. National Occupational Research http://www.hhs.gov/healthit. Agenda; Research to Practice Strategic SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A web SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Web Plan; and closing remarks. address for the meeting will be available address for the meeting will be available Agenda items are subject to change as at: http://www.hhs.gov/healthit. at: http://www.hhs.gov/healthit. priorities dictate. Dated: February 10, 2006. Dated: February 10, 2006. For Further Information Contact: Roger Rosa, Executive Secretary, BSC, Dana Haza, Dana Haza, Office of Programs and Coordination, Office NIOSH, CDC, 200 Independence Office of Programs and Coordination, Office Avenue, SW., Room 715H, Washington, of the National Coordinator. of the National Coordinator. [FR Doc. 06–1552 Filed 2–17–06; 8:45am] DC 20201, telephone (202) 205–7856, [FR Doc. 06–1554 Filed 2–17–06 8:45am] fax (202) 260–4464. BILLING CODE 4150–24–M BILLING CODE 4150–24–M The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been delegated the authority to sign Federal Register DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND notices pertaining to announcements of HUMAN SERVICES HUMAN SERVICES meetings and other committee Office of the National Coordinator; Centers for Disease Control and management activities for both CDC and American Health Information Prevention the Agency for Toxic Substances and Community Biosurveillance Disease Registry. Workgroup Meeting Board of Scientific Counselors, Dated: February 14, 2006. National Institute for Occupational Alvin Hall, SUMMARY: This notice announces the Safety and Health third meeting of the American Health Director, Management Analysis and Services Information Community Biosurveillance In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Workgroup in accordance with the the Federal Advisory Committee Act Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. (Pub. L. 92–463), the Centers for Disease [FR Doc. 06–1543 Filed 2–17–06; 8:45 am] L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C., App.) Control and Prevention (CDC) BILLING CODE 4163–18–P DATES: March 23, 2006 from 1 p.m. to announces the following committee 5 p.m. meeting: Name: Board of Scientific Counselors DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ADDRESSES: Hubert H. Humphrey (BSC), National Institute for HUMAN SERVICES Building (200 Independence Ave., SW., Occupational Safety and Health Centers for Disease Control and Washington, DC 20201), Conference (NIOSH). Prevention Room 800. Time and Date: 9 a.m.–3 p.m., March FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 30, 2006. Request for Information on Waste http://www.hhs.gov/healthit. Place: Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Halogenated Anesthetic Agents: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Web Street, SW., Washington, DC 20024. Isoflurane, Desflurane, and address for the meeting will be available Status: Open to the public, limited Sevoflurane at: http://www.hhs.gov/healthit. only by the space available. The meeting room accommodates approximately 50 SUMMARY: NIOSH intends to review and Dated: February 10, 2006. people. evaluate toxicity data for the Dana Haza, Purpose: The Secretary, Department halogenated anesthetic agents of Office of Programs and Coordination, Office of Health and Human Services, the isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane. of the National Coordinator. Assistant Secretary for Health, and by The current NIOSH recommended [FR Doc. 06–1553 Filed 2–17–05; 8:45am] delegation the Director, CDC, are exposure limit (REL) of 2 parts per BILLING CODE 4150–24–M authorized under Sections 301 and 308 million (ppm) as a 60-minute ceiling for

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the halogenated gases (chloroform, harm to the reproductive system, central protective REL for isoflurane, trichloroethylene, halothane, nervous system, liver, and kidneys desflurane, and sevoflurane. methoxyflurane, fluroxene, and prompted NIOSH to develop RELs for NIOSH will use this information to enflurane) was established in 1977 waste anesthetic gases [NIOSH 1977]. In determine the need for developing [NIOSH 1977]. The halogenated 1977, the current NIOSH REL of 2 parts recommendations for reducing anesthetic agents, isoflurane, desflurane, per million (ppm) as a 60-minute ceiling occupational exposure to isoflurane, and sevoflurane, were subsequently was established for the halogenated desflurane, and sevoflurane. introduced and are not included in the gases chloroform, trichloroethylene, References: DECOS [1998]. Enflurane, 1977 NIOSH recommendation. halothane, methoxyflurane, fluroxene, isoflurane and cyclopropane: health- Isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane and enflurane [NIOSH 1977]. Isoflurane, based recommended occupational are commonly used for anesthesia in desflurane, and sevoflurane were exposure limits. Report of the Dutch modern hospitals; however, no subsequently introduced and are not Expert Committee on Occupational occupational exposure limits exist for included in the 1977 NIOSH Standards, a committee of the Health these agents. NIOSH is requesting: (1) recommendation. Council of the Netherlands. Comments and information relevant to NIOSH has not yet developed RELs NIOSH [1977]. Criteria for a the evaluation of health risks associated for isoflurane, desflurane, and recommended standard * * * with occupational exposure to sevoflurane. Furthermore, the occupational exposure to waste isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane, Occupational Safety and Health anesthetic gases and vapors. Cincinnati, (2) reports or other data that Administration (OSHA) has no OH: U.S. Department of Health, demonstrate adverse health effects in permissible exposure limits (PELs) for Education, and Welfare, Public Health workers exposed to isoflurane, these agents. The Netherlands’ 1998 Service, Center for Disease Control, desflurane, and sevoflurane, and (3) Dutch Expert Committee on National Institute for Occupational information pertinent to establishing a Occupational Standards (DECOS) Safety and Health, DHEW (NIOSH) REL for isoflurane, desflurane, and derived an occupational exposure limit Publication No. 77–140. sevoflurane. of 20 ppm for enflurane on the basis of The Director, Management Analysis reproductive toxicologic data [DECOS and Services Office has been delegated ADDRESSES: Comments should be 1998]. For isoflurane (an isomer of the authority to sign Federal Register transmitted to the NIOSH Docket Office, enflurane), DECOS also recommended notices pertaining to announcements of M/S C–34, Robert A. Taft Laboratories, an occupational exposure limit of 20 meetings and other committee 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, ppm on the basis of assumed structure- management activities for both CDC and Ohio 45226, telephone 513/533–8303, related activity [DECOS 1998]. No the Agency for Toxic Substances and fax: 513/533–8285. epidemiologic studies are available on Disease Registry. Comments may also be submitted the health effects of the halogenated Dated: February 14, 2006. directly through the Web site (http:// agents, isoflurane, desflurane, and Alvin Hall, www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/ sevoflurane. Waste-Anesthetic-Gases/), by e-mail to Director, Management Analysis and Services NIOSH seeks to obtain materials, Office, Centers for Disease Control and [email protected], or by fax to 513/ including published and unpublished Prevention. 533–8285. E-mail attachments should be reports and research findings, to [FR Doc. 06–1542 Filed 2–17–06; 8:45 am] formatted as Microsoft Word. Comments evaluate the possible health risks of concerning this notice must be received occupational exposure to these gases. BILLING CODE 4163–18–P on or before April 18, 2006 and should Examples of requested information reference docket number NIOSH–064. include, but are not limited to, the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND All information received in response following: (1) Identification of HUMAN SERVICES to this notice will be available for public industries or occupations in which examination and copying at the NIOSH exposures to isoflurane, desflurane, or Food and Drug Administration Docket Office, Room 111, 4676 sevoflurane may occur; (2) trends in Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio production and use of isoflurane, [Docket No. 2005N–0488] 45226. desflurane, or sevoflurane over the past Animal Drug User Fee Act; Public FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 10 years; (3) descriptions of procedures Meeting; Cancellation Henryka Nagy, Ph.D., M/S C–32, Robert with a potential for exposure to AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, A. Taft Laboratories, 4676 Columbia isoflurane, desflurane, or sevoflurane; (4) current occupational exposure HHS. Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, concentrations of isoflurane, desflurane, telephone 513/533–8369, e-mail ACTION: Notice. or sevoflurane in various types of [email protected]. occupational scenarios and, if available, SUMMARY: The Food and Drug SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During data to document these concentrations Administration (FDA) is canceling the patient anesthetization, small amounts (5) case reports or other health data that meeting on the Animal Drug User Fee of anesthetic gases can escape from the demonstrate adverse health effects in Act scheduled for February 24, 2006. anesthetic delivery system and the workers exposed to isoflurane, This meeting was announced in the patient’s respiratory system. Waste desflurane, or sevoflurane, or animal Federal Register of December 28, 2005 anesthetic gases may become a source of data (published or peer-reviewed data (70 FR 76851). FDA will continue to harmful exposures for operating room are preferred); (6) descriptions of work seek public comments relative to the personnel. practices and engineering controls used program’s overall performance and Anesthesiologists, veterinarians, to reduce or prevent workplace reauthorization as directed by Congress. dentists, anesthetic nurses, operating exposure; (7) educational materials for FDA will publish another notice in the room nurses, surgeons, operating room worker safety or training on the safe Federal Register announcing any plans technicians, and other operating room handling of these halogenated agents; for rescheduling the public meeting. personnel are at risk of exposure to (8) data pertaining to the technical DATES: Written comments may be waste anesthetic gases. A concern about feasibility of establishing a more submitted at any time.

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