▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Instit utes ▁of ▁Health , ▁with ▁the ▁E un ice ▁Kennedy ▁Sh river ▁National ▁Institute ▁of ▁Child ▁Health ▁and ▁Human ▁Development ▁( N IC HD ) ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁scientific ▁lead . ▁Within ▁N IC HD , ▁the ▁N CS ▁Program ▁Office ▁admin ister ed ▁the ▁implementation ▁of ▁day - to - day ▁Study ▁operations . ▁The ▁Program ▁Office ▁was ▁super vised ▁by ▁the ▁Study ▁Director , ▁Steven ▁Hir sch feld , ▁MD , ▁Ph D ▁Associ ate ▁Director ▁for ▁C lin ical ▁Research , ▁N IC HD . ▁ ▁For ▁advice ▁and ▁recommend ations ▁regarding ▁Study ▁framework , ▁content , ▁and ▁method ologies , ▁the ▁N CS ▁Program ▁Office ▁engaged ▁external ▁advis ors ▁and ▁scientific ▁groups . ▁These ▁groups ▁included ▁federal ▁partners ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁N CS ▁Federal ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee ▁and ▁a ▁Federal ▁Cons ort ium ▁with ▁represent atives ▁from ▁multiple ▁federal ▁ag encies ▁including : ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Health ▁and ▁Human ▁Services , ▁the ▁National ▁Institute ▁of ▁Environment al ▁Health ▁Sciences ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Instit utes ▁of ▁Health , ▁the ▁Cent ers ▁for ▁D ise ase ▁Control ▁and ▁Pre vention , ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Agency . ▁An ▁independent ▁Study ▁Mon itor ing ▁and ▁O vers ight ▁Committee ▁monitor ed ▁study ▁progress ▁and ▁particip ant ▁safety . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁these ▁more ▁formal ▁channels , ▁the ▁N CS ▁solic ited ▁feedback ▁from ▁subject ▁matter ▁exper ts ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁from ▁individuals , ▁community