FDA Seeks Nominations for Federal Advisory Committee Members, Including BPAC and CTGTAC

The Food and Drug Administration announced a nationwide effort to recruit advisory committee members. The effort covers two committees central to the transfusion medicine and biotherapies community: the Blood Products Advisory Committee (BPAC) and the Cell, Tissue, and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee (CTGTAC). Both groups have several vacancies.

BPAC reviews and evaluates available data on the safety, effectiveness, and appropriate use of blood, products derived from blood and serum, or biotechnology that are intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of human disease. CTGTAC performs a parallel function for human cells, tissues, and cellular and gene therapy products. Both groups advise the commissioner of FDA.

The agency published a notice seeking voting members and a companion notice seeking consumer representatives, who may serve as voting or nonvoting members. Nominees for voting positions must demonstrate subject-matter expertise relevant to the committee, the ability to interpret complex scientific information and the capacity to provide objective, independent advice. Consumer representative nominees should have demonstrated involvement in consumer or community-based organizations and the ability to evaluate product safety and efficacy from a public perspective. Additional information on BPAC and CTGTAC, the qualifications of committee members, and current vacancies is available on FDA’s website.

FDA is accepting nominations on a continuing basis, including self-nominations. Consumer representative nominations received by Nov. 16 and voting-member nominations received by Nov. 30 will receive first consideration for current and near-term vacancies. Members serve terms of up to four years.

We encourage AABB members to nominate themselves or qualified colleagues to serve as voting members on BPAC or the CTGTAC. Interested individuals may submit nominations through FDA's advisory committee membership portal.