FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

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	2025	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...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	20
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Health Science Policy Analyst
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	11/14/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Kristine
Date Of Renewal Charter	11/14/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	Gayle
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Bernabe
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix	DrPH
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(984) 287-4039
Establishment Authority*	Authorized by Law	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	42 U.S.C. 217a	Designated Federal Officer Email*	gbernabe@nih.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	11/17/1962
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
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. The nomination of members to the Board is a major professional responsibility of the Director, NTP and the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the committee. The processes for outreach and selection involve long-range planning and obtaining suggestions and information from many different sources. NTP draws upon numerous resources to reach prospective members and to select suitable nominees for membership, such as recommendations from current and former Board members; the NTP Executive Committee; NTP Steering Committee and partner agencies. Close attention is given to equitable geographic distribution so long as the effectiveness of the committee is not impaired. NIH strives to broadly recruit a pool of candidates for open membership positions, including in terms of ethnic and gender representation. Appointments shall be made free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or sex (including pregnancy, sex stereotyping, gender identity, transgender status and sexual orientation).
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. The BSC did not convene this year and no recommendations were considered.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	Due to 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 officer (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: Drs. Erin Haynes, Kevin Kimbro, John Meeker and Janet Yang were administratively extended per the Charter; their terms have been updated with new end date of 12/27/2025. Meetings: The committee did not hold any meetings in FY25.

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*	267	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The committee did not hold any meetings in FY25. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is an interagency program with partners from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and Food and Drug Administration/National Center for Toxicological Research. Planning was underway to convene an NTP BSC meeting in the first/second quarter of 2025; however, on January 24, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the memorandum “Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications” that included public meetings (e.g., BSC and PAC meetings) and Federal Register notices. Therefore, the NTP BSC meeting could not be convened as planned. In addition, the onboarding process for the HHS-approved 2024 nomination slate was terminated. The plan is to convene a fall NTP BSC meeting in early 2026 if feasible.	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	Contact the Designated Federal Officer.
Agency Feedback Comment*	Information is provided to the public at each meeting. The public can view information related to the Committee through the committee’s official website.	Narrative Description*	NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. NIH works toward that mission by conducting research in its own laboratories. The mission of the Board of Scientific Counselors is to assess the quality of the Institute’s intramural research programs and to evaluate the productivity and performance of intramural scientists in accordance with Section 492(b) of the PHS Act, as amended and shall also, as requested by the Director, NIH, undertake peer review of extramural funding applications as required by section 492(a) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. 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

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	3/14/2025 9:36 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Medicine Health and Health Research

Custom Links

Committee Level Reports