Request for Nominations to Serve on the World Trade Center Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) solicited nominations for membership on the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee (STAC).

Title I of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-347) was enacted on January 2, 2011, amending the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) by adding Title XXXIII establishing the WTC Health Program within HHS (Title XXXIII of the PHS Act is codified at 42 U.S.C. §§ 300mm to 300mm–61). Section 3302(a) of the PHS Act established the WTC Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). The STAC is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees in the Executive Branch.

PHS Act Section 3302(a)(1) establishes that the STAC will: review scientific and medical evidence and make recommendations to the [WTC Program] Administrator on additional WTC Program eligibility criteria as well as on additional WTC-related health conditions.  PHS Act Section 3312(a)(6)(G) establishes that: the Advisory Committee will review and evaluate substantive amendments to policies and procedures used to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to support adding a health condition to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions; and the committee makes recommendations to the WTC Program Administrator regarding the identification of individuals to conduct independent peer reviews of the scientific and technical evidence that would be the basis for issuing a final rule adding a condition to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions.

The STAC is consulted on other matters related to implementation and improvement of the WTC Health Program and outlined in the PHS Act at the discretion of the WTC Program Administrator. In accordance with Section 3302(a)(2) of the PHS Act, the WTC Program Administrator appoints the members of the committee, which must include at least:

• 4 occupational physicians, at least two of whom have experience treating WTC rescue and recovery workers;
• 1 physician with expertise in pulmonary medicine;
• 2 environmental medicine or environmental health specialists;
• 2 representatives of WTC responders;
• 2 representatives of certified-eligible WTC survivors;
• 1 industrial hygienist;
• 1 toxicologist;
• 1 epidemiologist; and
• 1 mental health professional.

The Administrator sought nominations for members fulfilling the following categories:

• Environmental medicine or Environmental health specialist;
• Epidemiologist;
• Occupational physician who has experience treating WTC rescue and recovery workers;
• Occupational physician;
• Representative of WTC responders; and
• Toxicologist.

Other members may be appointed at the discretion of the WTC Program Administrator.

NIOSH is committed to bringing greater diversity of thought, perspective and experience to its advisory committees. Nominees from all races, gender, age and persons living with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Nominees must be U.S. citizens.