FR 2021-03190

The document from the Federal Register announces a closed meeting by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Scheduled for March 9, 2021, this meeting aims to review grant applications for the CTSA Revision Award. Due to the confidential nature of the information—including trade secrets and personal information—the meeting will not be open to the public. It will be conducted virtually, with Dr. Rahat Khan as the Scientific Review Officer managing the discussions.

General Summary

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, plans to evaluate grant applications in a meeting that is not open to the public. The meeting will focus on sensitive topics, such as confidential trade secrets and private individual information. This meeting forms part of the procedural requirements for assessing applications in the pharmacology, biomedical research, and biological chemistry research sectors.

Significant Issues or Concerns

One of the most notable concerns is the closed nature of the meeting, which raises questions about transparency. While the document references legal provisions justifying this confidentiality, the language used is complex and may not be easily understood by people without a legal background. This layer of complexity adds a hurdle for public comprehension. Additionally, no specific explanations are provided for why certain grant applications were chosen for review, which could be seen as opaque or secretive.

Another issue is the use of catalog numbers for Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos., which lack explanation or context in the document. This reference could confuse readers unfamiliar with such identifiers, further compounding the document's accessibility challenges for the broader public.

Impact on the Public

For the general public, this document indicates that certain governmental processes—despite being of public interest due to their impact on public health—are conducted without direct public oversight. This could invoke a sense of alienation or distrust, as citizens may feel excluded from processes concerning federal funding for crucial research areas. Additionally, the language and lack of context could impede the public's understanding of how federal research funding is administered and evaluated.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

For stakeholders in the scientific and research communities, the closed meeting allows for the protection of sensitive information, thus encouraging innovation and protecting intellectual property. This can create an environment where researchers feel secure about disclosing proprietary information. On the flip side, stakeholders concerned with transparency and public oversight may view this meeting structure as problematic, potentially diminishing trust in governmental procedures.

In summary, while the closed meeting aims to protect sensitive information and uphold privacy, it also raises valid concerns about public transparency and comprehension, affecting how stakeholders perceive and engage with the federal funding process.