DHHS Cuts In-Person Advisory Committee Meetings

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has cut back on in-person meetings of Advisory Committees under the purview of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH).  “To promote cost-effectiveness and efficiencies,” Advisory Committees are “to ensure that at least half of their committee meetings and all of their subcommittee meetings [are] conducted virtually.”  In-person Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public, and time is allotted for public comment.  Virtual meetings will mean Advisory Committee deliberations will not be public, and likely make robust discussion more difficult.  This change comes at an important time.  The Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections (SACHRP) is currently working on implementation of significant revisions to regulations concerning human research subjects – the Common Rule (45 C.F.R. 46).  SACHRP met in-person March 13-14, 2018, but is currently required to meet virtually on July 10, 2018 and Ocotber 16, 2018.