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HHS - 113 - National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors - Authorized by Law

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors	Agency Name	Department of Health and Human Services
Fiscal Year	2021	Committee Number	113
Original Establishment Date	11/15/1978	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whoweare/advisory/ind...
New Committee This FY	No	Presidential Appointments*	No
Terminated This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	20
Current Charter Date	11/14/2020	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Health Scientist
Date Of Renewal Charter	11/14/2022	Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Sheena
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Scruggs
Establishment Authority*	Authorized by Law	Designated Federal Officer Suffix	PHD
Specific Establishment Authority*	42 U.S.C. 217a	Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(984) 287-3355
Effective Date Of Authority*	11/17/1962	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	919-541-0295
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Exempt: Merit Review Panel	Designated Federal Officer Email*	sheena.scruggs@nih.gov
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Other Committee

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The National Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) is a technical advisory body established to advise the NTP Executive Committee and NTP Director on matters relating to scientific program content and to evaluate the scientific merits of the intramural and collaborative programs of the NTP. Meetings are open to the public and webcast, written comments are received, and time provided at meetings for oral public comment. Information about BSC meetings can be found at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/164.
How is membership balanced?*	Members of the BSC are selected from recognized authorities knowledgeable in fields such as toxicology, pharmacology, pathology, biochemistry, epidemiology, mutagenesis, immunology, carcinogenesis, industrial hygiene, reproductive toxicology, and biostatistics. The Secretary, Health and Human Services, appoints members to the BSC. The members review the NTP activities in the above areas and provide scientific oversight to the program.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The BSC typically meets twice annually and convenes working groups and subcommittees to address special programmatic issues as needed. Continuation of the BSC is necessary because there is no other available source that can provide a proper blend of programmatic review and advice needed by the NTP.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	Because of the unique function and objectives of the NTP within the public sector, an independent advisory board is required that includes a breadth of scientific expertise within the membership and a membership that can evaluate and advise on activities ranging from basic research to large-scale chemical testing.
Why close or partially close meetings?	N/A
Recommendation Remarks	Committee Function - Other, Scientific and Technical Peer Review. Based on the assignment of duties within the National Toxicology Program, the designated federal official (DFO) and committee decision maker positions are held by the same individual. Reports: This committee did not produce any reports during this fiscal year. Members: FY20 retirees, Paul Brandt-Rauf, Myrtle Davis, Jennifer Sass, and Donald Stump were administratively extended as per the Charter, to allow for their attendance at the fall 2020 meeting, while the new pending 2020 nominees were in the onboarding phase. Current member, David Eaton, was reassigned on the 2020 slate as Chair for the remainder of his term, through 6/30/2022. Costs: FY22 Travel and Per Diem Projections include estimates for the possibility for approximately 50% of meetings to occur as in-person meetings FY22. With additional guidance forthcoming, these projected Travel and Per Diem costs are subject to change.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	Yes
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	The Committee makes recommendations to federal staff. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) advises the NTP Executive Committee and NTP Director on matters relating to scientific program content and to evaluate the scientific merits of the intramural and collaborative programs of the NTP.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	NA	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	None	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NIH supported basic and clinical research accomplishments often take many years to unfold into new diagnostic tests and new ways to treat and prevent diseases.	Grants Review Comment	Although grant reviews are included in the duties of this Board, there were no grant reviews performed during this fiscal year.
Number Of Recommendations*	238	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The BSC held five meetings in FY21: 1. The NTP BSC met on December 3-4, 2020. Agenda topics included presentations and discussion on: (1) Operationalizing the DNTP Strategic Realignment; (2) the DNTP Strategic Planning Framework; (3) the Cardiovascular Health Effects Innovation Program; and (4) the Developmental Neurotoxicity Health Effects Innovation Program. The BSC had four recommendations on Operationalizing the DNTP Strategic Realignment and two recommendations concerning the DNTP Strategic Planning Framework, including issues of recruitment and workforce retention both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how to best communicate actionable knowledge to stakeholders. The BSC had six recommendations on the Cardiovascular Health Effects Innovation Program, including using a more unbiased approach to NTP studies by using artificial intelligence, and utilizing a data structure that is findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). They also had five recommendations on the Developmental Neurotoxicity Health Effects Innovation Program which included focusing on the linkages between the in vitro and zebrafish data and the in vivo animal studies to achieve the program’s objectives. 2. The NTP BSC met on February 2, 2021. The meeting held presentations and discussion on: (1) the Carcinogenicity Health Effects Innovation Program; and (2) the Combined Exposures and Mixtures Program. The BSC had eight recommendations on the Carcinogenicity Health Effects Innovation Program, including many recommendations on stakeholder engagement since cancer is such a high-visibility public health concern. The BSC suggested that DNTP should focus on the details of the communication plan and timetable and build those into the entire research plan. They also had two recommendations on the Combined Exposures and Mixtures Program, which encompassed moving towards a more mechanistic evaluation and suggesting partner recommendations for the research program including NIOSH and some of the NIEHS Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers. 3. The NTP BSC met on April 23, 2021. The meeting held presentations and discussion on: (1) the Occupational and Inhalation Exposures Program; and (2) the Emerging Contaminants and Issues of Concern Program. The BSC had two recommendations on the Occupational and Inhalation Exposures Program, including the inclusion of existing research on low-level exposures, whether dietary or inhalation, and potentially looking at anticancer activity of α-pinene. The board also had two recommendations on the Emerging Contaminants and Issues of Concern Program, which encompassed more formalization of the lessons learned part of the program, especially from an emergency response perspective. 4. The NTP BSC met on June 8, 2021. The meeting consisted of presentations and discussion on: (1) the Consumer Products and Therapeutics Program; (2) the Novel Tools and Approaches Program. The BSC had six recommendations on the Consumer Products and Therapeutics Program, including expanding into the realm of metabolomics and exposome to better understand human exposures from consumer products. The BSC also had two recommendations for the Novel Tools and Approaches Program. The BSC recommended that DNTP consider looking at population variability and exposures and building that into the new approaches they are developing. 5. The NTP BSC met on August 4, 2021. The meeting consisted of presentations and discussion on: (1) the Safe and Sustainable Alternatives Program; and (2) the Scientific Cyberinfastructure Program. The BSC had four recommendations on the Safe and Sustainable Alternatives Program, including how to consider hazard vs. risk, as well as incorporating health disparities into study design. The BSC also had four recommendations on the Scientific Cyberinfrastructure Program, which included making sure users of large data and tools understand underlying assumptions to help prevent misuse or misinterpretation.	Access Agency Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	Due to the large breadth and complexity of the recommendations made by this committee, staff is unable to determine which recommendations have been fully or partially implemented solely in response to this committee's activities.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	NA	Access Other	Yes
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	Newsletter, List Serve
Agency Feedback Comment*	Website and at subsequent meetings.	Narrative Description*	The National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors (Board) is a technical advisory body established to advise the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Executive Committee and Program Director on matters relating to the scientific program content and to evaluate the scientific merits of the intramural and collaborative programs of the NTP, and as requested by the Secretary, undertake peer review of extramural funding applications as required by section 492 of the public Health Service Act, as amended.

COSTS

Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$14,000.00	Est Payments to Non-Fed Members Next FY*	$14,000.00
Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
Payments to Federal Staff*	$151,530.00	Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$153,045.00
Payments to Consultants*	$6,000.00	Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$6,000.00
Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Members nextFY*	$0.00
Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$3,712.00
Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staff Next FY*	$0.00
Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	Est Travel Reimb to Consultants Next FY*	$843.00
Other Costs	$119,762.00	Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$121,572.00
Total Costs	$291,292.00	Est. Total Next FY*	$299,172.00
Date Cost Last Modified	8/27/2021 10:36 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	1.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	1.00	Est Cost Remarks	As all meetings were held virtually in FY21 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, projected costs for FY22 were increased in the event that face-to-face meetings resume.
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Medicine Health and Health Research

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