Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). The general function of the committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Agency on FDA's regulatory issues. Consistent with FDA's regulations, notice is being published with less than 15 days prior to the date of the meeting based on a determination that an immediate meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is needed. This Federal Register notice could not be published 15 days prior to the date of the meeting due to a delay by the World Health Organization (WHO) in recommending H3N2 strain for inclusion in the 2019-2020 seasonal influenza vaccines.

DATES:

The meeting will be held on March 22, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

FDA White Oak Campus, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 31 Conference Center, the Great Room (Rm. 1503), Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002. Answers to commonly asked questions including information regarding special accommodations due to a disability, visitor parking, and transportation may be accessed at: https://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/AboutAdvisoryCommittees/ucm408555.htm.

For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will also be webcast and will be available at the following link: https://collaboration.fda.gov/vrbpac032019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Serina Hunter-Thomas, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 71, Rm. 6338, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 240-402-5771, serina.hunter-thomas@fda.hhs.gov; or Monique Hill, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 71, Rm. 6307C, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 301-796-4620, monique.hill@fda.hhs.gov; or the FDA Advisory Committee Information Line, 1-800-741-8138 (301-443-0572 in the Washington, DC area). A notice in the Federal Register about last minute modifications that impact a previously announced advisory committee meeting cannot always be published quickly enough to provide timely notice. Therefore, you should always check the Agency's website at https://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/default.htm and scroll down to the appropriate advisory committee meeting link, or call the advisory committee information line to learn about possible modifications before coming to the meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda: On March 22, 2019, in followup to a delay by the World Health Organization (WHO) in recommending H3N2 strain for inclusion in the 2019-2020 seasonal influenza vaccines, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research will reconvene the VRBPAC to discuss and make recommendations specifically on the H3N2 strain. The VRBPAC previously met on March 6, 2019, and made recommendations on the selection of all other strains to be included in seasonal influenza virus vaccines for the 2019-2020 influenza season.

FDA intends to make background material available to the public no later than 2 business days before the meeting. If FDA is unable to post the background material on its website prior to the meeting, the background material will be made publicly available at the location of the advisory committee meeting, and the background material will be posted on FDA's website after the meeting. Background material is available at: https://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/Calendar/default.htm. Scroll down to the appropriate advisory committee meeting link.

Procedure: On March 22, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. the meeting is open to the public. Interested persons may present data, information, or views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before the committee. Written submissions may be made to the contact person on or before March 15, 2019. On March 22, 2019, oral presentations from the public will be scheduled between approximately 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Those individuals interested in making formal oral presentations should notify the contact person and submit a brief statement of the general nature of the evidence or arguments they wish to present, the names and addresses of proposed participants, and an indication of the approximate time requested to make their presentation on or before March 14, 2019. Time allotted for each presentation may be limited. If the number of registrants requesting to speak is greater than can be reasonably accommodated during the scheduled open public hearing session, FDA may conduct a lottery to determine the speakers for the scheduled open public hearing session. The contact person will notify interested persons regarding their request to speak by March 15, 2019.

Persons attending FDA's advisory committee meetings are advised that the Agency is not responsible for providing access to electrical outlets.

FDA welcomes the attendance of the public at its advisory committee meetings and will make every effort to accommodate persons with disabilities. If you require accommodations due to a disability, please contact Serina Hunter-Thomas (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 days in advance of the meeting.

FDA is committed to the orderly conduct of its advisory committee meetings. Please visit our website at: https://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/AboutAdvisoryCommittees/ucm111462.htm for procedures on public conduct during advisory committee meetings.

Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app. 2).