Thirteenth Meeting of the Secretary's Advisory
Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society

July 10, 2007

Meeting Location

Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 800
200 Independence Avenue S.W
Washington D.C., 20201

The meeting is open to the public, and pre-registration is not required. Seating will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. For directions, please visit http://www.hhs.gov/about/hhhmap.html

Agenda

The meeting will focus primarily on the issue of gene patents and licensing practices and consist of a series of presentations and discussions involving international experts on how other countries are addressing questions related to the impact of gene patents and licensing practices on patient access to genetic tests. In addition, the SACGHS task force on oversight of genetic testing will present a brief report on the progress of its fact-finding and consultative efforts with regard to the Secretary’s charge.  The Committee will also be updated about the public comments received in response to the Committee’s solicitation on its draft report on pharmacogenomics.

Public Comments

SACGHS welcomes public perspectives on any of the issues to be covered during the meeting as well as on issues important to members of the public. If you wish to provide comments at the meeting, please contact Tara Hurd by email at hurdt@mail.nih.gov or by phone at 301-496-9838 to sign up. Please indicate whether you will be speaking as an individual or on behalf of an organization, and if the latter, your affiliation with that organization. Written public comments also may be submitted to SACGHS via hurdt@mail.nih.gov. In order to be considered by SACGHS at the July meeting, written comments should be submitted no later than Thursday, July 5, 2007.

Webcast

The meeting will be web cast. Information on how to access the web cast will be available on the day of the meeting at: http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/SACGHS/meetings/July%202007/SACGHSJul2007premeeting.htm

Special Accommodations

Attendees requiring special accommodations, such as interpreting services, should contact Abbe Smith of Capital Consulting by phone at 301-468-6004, ext 402, or by email at asmith@md.capconcorp.com
 prior to the meeting.

For more information about the Committee and to obtain up-to-date information about the meeting, please visit http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/sacghs.htm.

Tara Hurd
NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities
6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 750
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-496-9838
Fax: 301-496-9839
Email: hurdt@mail.nih.gov
Website: http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/