Notice2026-20151
Notice of NIH Tribal Consultations and Listening Session
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentNational Institutes of Health
Abstract
In accordance with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Tribal Consultation Policy, the NIH will hold two Tribal Consultations and one Tribal listening session at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Annual Convention. The first consultation will discuss two new proposed initiatives of the NIH All of Us Research Program. The second consultation will discuss the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) proposed renewal initiative for the Resource Center for Tribal Epidemiological Centers (RC-TEC). The Tribal Health Research Office will also conduct a listening session to seek Tribal perspectives on the NIH Tribal Data Sovereignty Policy currently under development.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 189 (Thursday, October 1, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 189 (Thursday, October 1, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62532-62533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20151]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Notice of NIH Tribal Consultations and Listening Session
AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
Tribal Consultation Policy, the NIH will hold two Tribal Consultations
and one Tribal listening session at the National Congress of American
Indians (NCAI) Annual Convention. The first consultation will discuss
two new proposed initiatives of the NIH All of Us Research Program. The
second consultation will discuss the National Institute of Minority
Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) proposed renewal initiative for
the Resource Center for Tribal Epidemiological Centers (RC-TEC). The
Tribal Health Research Office will also conduct a listening session to
seek Tribal perspectives on the NIH Tribal Data Sovereignty Policy
currently under development.
DATES: The events will be held at the following times, all in Pacific
time:
Monday, October 19, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Tribal
consultation on expanding the data access model and the inclusion of
self-identified AI/AN participants' biospecimens in PRS within the NIH
All of Us Research Program.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.: NIH Tribal
Data Sovereignty Policy listening session.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Tribal
consultation on the renewal of the NIMHD Resource Center for Tribal
Epidemiology Centers.
Written Tribal testimony or comments regarding either Tribal
consultation can be submitted to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c08e898894b2a9a2a1ac83afaeb3b5acb4a1b4a9afae80aea9a8eea7afb6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aae4e3e2fed8c3c8cbc6e9c5c4d9dfc6decbdec3c5c4eac4c3c284cdc5dc">[email protected]</span></a> and must
be received by end of day on November 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The two Tribal Consultations and one listening session will
be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N Avenida
Caballeros, Palm Springs, CA 92262, during the NCAI 83rd Annual
Convention & Marketplace. Specific room assignments are not yet
available. Updates will be posted on the NIH THRO Tribal Consultations
web page at <a href="https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/thro/tribal-consultations">https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/thro/tribal-consultations</a>.
A virtual participation option may be available for one or more
sessions. Individuals interested in participating virtually should
contact NIH at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eea0a7a6ba9c878c8f82ad81809d9b829a8f9a878180ae808786c0898198"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d89691908caab1bab9b49bb7b6abadb4acb9acb1b7b698b6b1b0f6bfb7ae">[email protected]</span></a>. Information regarding
virtual participation, if available, will also be posted on the NIH
THRO Tribal Consultations web page.
Written Tribal testimony or comments should be submitted by email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8bc5c2c3dff9e2e9eae7c8e4e5f8fee7ffeaffe2e4e5cbe5e2e3a5ece4fd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1f5156574b6d767d7e735c70716c6a736b7e6b7670715f71767731787069">[email protected]</span></a> by end of day on November 20, 2026.
Submissions should be on Tribal letterhead or otherwise clearly
identify the submitting Tribe or Tribal organization.
[[Page 62533]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karina L. Walters, Ph.D., M.S.W.,
Director, Tribal Health Research Office, Division of Program
Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the
Director, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human
Services; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#46120e14092f28202906282f2e68212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e6b2aeb4a98f888089a6888f8ec8818990">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background and Participation
NIH recognizes the government-to-government relationship between
the United States and federally recognized Indian Tribes and conducts
Tribal consultation in accordance with the NIH Tribal Consultation
Policy (<a href="https://go.nih.gov/C01PhB8">https://go.nih.gov/C01PhB8</a>). The Policy provides a process for
meaningful and timely input from Indian Tribes on NIH policies,
programs, and research activities that significantly affect Tribes.
NIH invites Tribal Officials and Tribal Representatives, as those
terms are defined in the Policy, to provide input during the October 19
and October 20 Tribal consultations. Under the Policy, a Tribal
Representative may include an elected Tribal Official acting in an
official capacity, or an employee or other representative designated in
writing by an elected Tribal Official to represent the Tribe in
discussions with the Federal Government.
The October 20 Tribal Data Sovereignty Policy event is a listening
session rather than a Tribal consultation. It is intended to inform
development of the policy before NIH conducts a separate Tribal
consultation.
II. NIH All of Us Research Program Tribal Consultation
On Monday, October 19, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific
Time, NIH will conduct a Tribal consultation concerning two new
initiatives within the All of Us Research Program. The All of Us
Research Program aims to accelerate health research and medical
breakthroughs to enable an era of precision medicine for all. All of Us
is expanding its existing data access model to contain an added level
of sensitive participant data that will require mandatory review by an
Institutional Review Board. It is also planning to include self-
identified AI/AN participants in the PRS initiative involving a large-
scale biospecimen analysis effort. This effort will allow researchers
external to NIH to apply for access to current participants' samples
(such as blood, saliva or urine), including those from self-identified
AI/AN participants.
Feedback from Tribal Nations is crucial to shaping the program's
strategies to ensure the use of biospecimens and that access to data
aligns with priorities of Tribal and Urban Indian communities. All of
Us would like to discuss how to (1) responsibly manage self-identified
AI/AN participant bio samples in partnered research studies and ensure
the research yields meaningful community benefits and (2) manage
sensitive data access that honors both an individual's and Tribes'
rights.
III. NIH Tribal Data Sovereignty Policy Listening Session
On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Pacific
Time, NIH THRO will host a listening session on the NIH Tribal Data
Sovereignty Policy currently under development. The session will
provide a forum for Tribal Leaders and designees to offer guidance and
share perspectives, concerns, and recommendations on how NIH funding
announcements, grant mechanisms, and research activities should
recognize and uphold the inherent sovereignty of Tribal Nations over
data generated by, about, and within their communities.
THRO leadership will hear directly from Tribal Leaders and
designees and consider their input as NIH develops the policy,
including potential funding opportunity announcement language and
grants administration practices. Discussion is expected to address how
NIH can better align data collection, management and sharing processes
with Tribal laws, codes, and ordinances governing data collection,
ownership, access, use, and disposition, including Tribal Institutional
Review Board requirements, data-sharing agreements, and Tribal Research
Codes.
This listening session is not a Tribal consultation and will not
substitute for Tribal consultation on the NIH Tribal Data Sovereignty
Policy. NIH will conduct a separate Tribal consultation before the
policy is finalized. Information about that Tribal consultation will be
announced separately.
IV. NIMHD Resource Center for Tribal Epidemiology Centers Tribal
Consultation
On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pacific
time, NIH will conduct a Tribal consultation on proposed revisions to
the renewal of the NIMHD Resource Center for Tribal Epidemiological
Centers (RC-TEC) initiative. The session will provide an overview of
the proposed revisions, their potential implications for Tribal
Epidemiology Centers (TECs) and the Tribes they serve, and an
opportunity for Tribal input.
The consultation will help ensure that the revised initiative
reflects Tribal priorities and the essential role of TECs in
strengthening Tribal public health capacity, surveillance, data
systems, and health sovereignty. NIH will provide an overview of the
proposed revisions to the renewal of the RC-TEC initiative and describe
potential key changes, their potential implications for TECs and the
Tribes they serve in order to support transparency and strengthen
government-to-government engagement.
V. Written Tribal Testimony and Comments
NIH welcomes written Tribal testimony or comments concerning each
Tribal consultation. Written submissions should be submitted to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6d232425391f040f0c012e02031e1801190c190402032d030405430a021b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91dfd8d9c5e3f8f3f0fdd2feffe2e4fde5f0e5f8feffd1fff8f9bff6fee7">[email protected]</span></a> and must be received by end of day on
November 20, 2026. Submissions should be on Tribal letterhead or
otherwise clearly identify the submitting Tribe or Tribal organization.
Written input for the NIH Tribal Data Sovereignty Policy may be
submitted to the <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#024c4b4a56706b60636e416d6c71776e7663766b6d6c426c6b6a2c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="440a0d0c10362d262528072b2a3731283025302d2b2a042a2d2c6a232b32">[email protected]</span></a>. Solicitation for Tribal
testimony for the NIH Tribal Data Sovereignty Policy will occur when
the Tribal consultation for the Policy takes place. This Notice is in
accordance with Executive Order 13175 Authority to implement and comply
with Federal and Departmental policies, procedures, and requirements as
it relates to Tribal consultations.
Karina Walters,
Director, Tribal Health Research Office, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2026-20151 Filed 9-30-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 41670-05-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 1, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.