United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Jun 06, 2023
The National Institutes of Health shall be headed by the Director of NIH who shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director of NIH shall perform functions as provided under subsection (b) and as the Secretary may otherwise prescribe.
The Director of NIH may make available to individuals and entities, for biomedical and behavioral research, substances and living organisms. Such substances and organisms shall be made available under such terms and conditions (including payment for them) as the Secretary determines appropriate.
The Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH and the Directors of the agencies of the National Institutes of Health, shall, in conducting and supporting programs for research, research training, recruitment, and other activities, provide for an increase in the number of women and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and ethnic minorities) in the fields of biomedical and behavioral research.
The term “applicable clinical trial” means an applicable device clinical trial or an applicable drug clinical trial.
The term “applicable drug clinical trial” means a controlled clinical investigation, other than a phase I clinical investigation, of a drug subject to section 355 of title 21 or to section 262 of this title.
For purposes of subclause (I), the term “clinical investigation” has the meaning given that term in section 312.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
For purposes of subclause (I), the term “phase I” has the meaning given that term in section 312.21 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
The term “clinical trial information” means, with respect to an applicable clinical trial, those data elements that the responsible party is required to submit under paragraph (2) or under paragraph (3).
The term “completion date” means, with respect to an applicable clinical trial, the date that the final subject was examined or received an intervention for the purposes of final collection of data for the primary outcome, whether the clinical trial concluded according to the prespecified protocol or was terminated.
The term “drug” means a drug as defined in section 321(g) of title 21 or a biological product as defined in section 262 of this title.
The Secretary shall develop a mechanism by which the responsible party for each applicable clinical trial shall submit the identity and contact information of such responsible party to the Secretary at the time of submission of clinical trial information under paragraph (2).
To enhance patient enrollment and provide a mechanism to track subsequent progress of clinical trials, the Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH, shall expand, in accordance with this subsection, the clinical trials registry of the data bank described under subsection (i)(1) (referred to in this subsection as the “registry data bank”). The Director of NIH shall ensure that the registry data bank is made publicly available through the Internet.
The Secretary may by regulation modify the requirements for clinical trial information under this paragraph, if the Secretary provides a rationale for why such a modification improves and does not reduce such clinical trial information.
Not later than 18 months after
The Director of NIH shall also ensure that the public may search the entries of the registry data bank by such other elements as the Director deems necessary on an ongoing basis.
The Director of the NIH shall ensure that the registry data bank is easily used by the public, and that entries are easily compared.
The Director of NIH shall ensure that clinical trial information for an applicable drug clinical trial submitted in accordance with this paragraph is posted in the registry data bank not later than 30 days after such submission.
The Director of the National Institutes of Health shall inform responsible parties of the option to request that clinical trial information for an applicable device clinical trial be publicly posted prior to the date of clearance or approval, in accordance with clause (ii)(I).
The Secretary may include the links described in clause (ii) for data bank entries for clinical trials submitted to the data bank prior to
A table of the demographic and baseline data collected overall and for each arm of the clinical trial to describe the patients who participated in the clinical trial, including the number of patients who dropped out of the clinical trial and the number of patients excluded from the analysis, if any.
The primary and secondary outcome measures as submitted under paragraph (2)(A)(ii)(I)(ll), and a table of values for each of the primary and secondary outcome measures for each arm of the clinical trial, including the results of scientifically appropriate tests of the statistical significance of such outcome measures.
A point of contact for scientific information about the clinical trial results.
Whether there exists an agreement (other than an agreement solely to comply with applicable provisions of law protecting the privacy of participants) between the sponsor or its agent and the principal investigator (unless the sponsor is an employer of the principal investigator) that restricts in any manner the ability of the principal investigator, after the completion date of the trial, to discuss the results of the trial at a scientific meeting or any other public or private forum, or to publish in a scientific or academic journal information concerning the results of the trial.
To provide more complete results information and to enhance patient access to and understanding of the results of clinical trials, not later than 3 years after
The Secretary shall consider the status of the consensus data elements set for reporting clinical trial results of the World Health Organization when issuing the regulations under this subparagraph.
The Secretary shall hold a public meeting no later than 18 months after
If the responsible party for an applicable clinical trial submits a certification that clause (iv) or (v) applies to such clinical trial, the responsible party shall submit to the Director of NIH for inclusion in the registry and results data bank the clinical trial information described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) as required under the applicable clause.
With respect to an applicable clinical trial that is completed before the drug is initially approved under section 355 of title 21 or initially licensed under section 262 of this title, or the device is initially cleared under section 360(k) or initially approved under section 360e or 360j(m) of title 21, the responsible party shall submit to the Director of NIH for inclusion in the registry and results data bank the clinical trial information described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) not later than 30 days after the drug or device is approved under such section 355, licensed under such section 262, cleared under such section 360(k), or approved under such section 360e or 360j(m), as applicable.
If a manufacturer makes a certification under clause (iii) that this clause applies with respect to a clinical trial, the manufacturer shall make such a certification with respect to each applicable clinical trial that is required to be submitted in an application or report for licensure, approval, or clearance (under section 262 of this title or section 355, 360(k), 360e, or 360j(m) of title 21, as applicable) of the use studied in the clinical trial.
The responsible party shall submit to the Director of NIH for inclusion in the registry and results data bank the clinical trial information subject to subclause (I) on the date that is 2 years after the date a certification under clause (iii) was made to the Director of NIH, if an action referred to in item (aa), (bb), or (cc) of subclause (I) has not occurred by such date.
The Director of NIH may provide an extension of the deadline for submission of clinical trial information under clause (i) if the responsible party for the trial submits to the Director a written request that demonstrates good cause for the extension and provides an estimate of the date on which the information will be submitted. The Director of NIH may grant more than one such extension for a clinical trial.
The Commissioner of Food and Drugs shall notify the Director of NIH when there is an action described in subparagraph (E)(iv) or item (aa), (bb), or (cc) of subparagraph (E)(v)(I) with respect to an application or a report that includes a certification required under paragraph (5)(B) of such action not later than 30 days after such action.
The Director of NIH shall ensure that the clinical trial information described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) for an applicable clinical trial submitted in accordance with this paragraph is posted publicly in the registry and results database not later than 30 days after such submission.
The Secretary may waive any applicable requirements of this paragraph for an applicable clinical trial, upon a written request from the responsible party, if the Secretary determines that extraordinary circumstances justify the waiver and that providing the waiver is consistent with the protection of public health, or in the interest of national security. Not later than 30 days after any part of a waiver is granted, the Secretary shall notify, in writing, the appropriate committees of Congress of the waiver and provide an explanation for why the waiver was granted.
Not later than 18 months after
If the Secretary fails to issue the regulation required by clause (i) by the date that is 24 months after
A table of anticipated and unanticipated serious adverse events grouped by organ system, with number and frequency of such event in each arm of the clinical trial.
A table of anticipated and unanticipated adverse events that are not included in the table described in subclause (I) that exceed a frequency of 5 percent within any arm of the clinical trial, grouped by organ system, with number and frequency of such event in each arm of the clinical trial.
In carrying out clause (iii), the Secretary shall, in consultation with experts in risk communication, post with the tables information to enhance patient understanding and to ensure such tables do not mislead patients or the lay public.
Clinical trial information included in the registry and results data bank pursuant to this subparagraph is deemed to be clinical trial information included in such data bank pursuant to subparagraph (C).
A responsible party for a clinical trial that is not an applicable clinical trial, or that is an applicable clinical trial that is not subject to paragraph (2)(C), may submit complete clinical trial information described in paragraph (2) or paragraph (3) provided the responsible party submits clinical trial information for each applicable clinical trial that is required to be submitted under section 262 of this title or under section 355, 360(k), 360e, or 360j(m) of title 21 in an application or report for licensure, approval, or clearance of the drug or device for the use studied in the clinical trial.
The Director of NIH shall make updates submitted under clause (i) publicly available in the registry data bank. Except with regard to overall recruitment status, individual site status, location, and contact information, the Director of NIH shall ensure that updates to elements required under subclauses (I) to (V) of paragraph (2)(A)(ii) do not result in the removal of any information from the original submissions or any preceding updates, and information in such databases is presented in a manner that enables users to readily access each original element submission and to track the changes made by the updates. The Director of NIH shall provide a link from the table of primary and secondary outcomes required under paragraph (3)(C)(ii) to the tracked history required under this clause of the primary and secondary outcome measures submitted under paragraph (2)(A)(ii)(I)(ll).
If an applicable clinical trial is funded in whole or in part by a grant from any agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, or the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, any grant or progress report forms required under such grant shall include a certification that the responsible party has made all required submissions to the Director of NIH under paragraphs (2) and (3).
The heads of the agencies referred to in clause (i), as applicable, shall verify that the clinical trial information for each applicable clinical trial for which a grantee is the responsible party has been submitted under paragraphs (2) and (3) before releasing any remaining funding for a grant or funding for a future grant to such grantee.
If the head of an agency referred to in clause (i), as applicable, verifies that a grantee has not submitted clinical trial information as described in clause (ii), such agency head shall provide notice to such grantee of such non-compliance and allow such grantee 30 days to correct such non-compliance and submit the required clinical trial information.
At the time of submission of an application under section 355 of title 21, section 360e of title 21, section 360j(m) of title 21, or section 262 of this title, or submission of a report under section 360(k) of title 21, such application or submission shall be accompanied by a certification that all applicable requirements of this subsection have been met. Where available, such certification shall include the appropriate National Clinical Trial control numbers.
Until the effective date of the regulations issued under paragraph (3)(D), the Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall conduct a pilot project to determine the optimal method of verification to help to ensure that the clinical trial information submitted under paragraph (3)(C) is non-promotional and is not false or misleading in any particular under subparagraph (D). The Secretary shall use the publicly available information described in paragraph (3)(A) and any other information available to the Secretary about applicable clinical trials to verify the accuracy of the clinical trial information submitted under paragraph (3)(C).
If the Secretary determines that any clinical trial information was not submitted as required under this subsection, or was submitted but is false or misleading in any particular, the Secretary shall notify the responsible party and give such party an opportunity to remedy such noncompliance by submitting the required revised clinical trial information not later than 30 days after such notification.
The clinical trial information submitted by a responsible party under this subsection shall not be false or misleading in any particular.
If the responsible party for an applicable clinical trial fails to submit the primary and secondary outcomes as required under section 2(A)(ii)(I)(ll),5
The notice under clause (i) for a violation described in clause (i)(I)(aa) shall include the following statement: “The entry for this clinical trial was not complete at the time of submission, as required by law. This may or may not have any bearing on the accuracy of the information in the entry.”.
The notice under clause (i) for a violation described in clause (i)(I)(bb) shall include the following statement: “The entry for this clinical trial was found to be false or misleading and therefore not in compliance with the law.”.
The notice under clause (ii) for a violation described in clause (ii) shall include the following statement: “The entry for this clinical trial did not contain information on the primary and secondary outcomes at the time of submission, as required by law. This may or may not have any bearing on the accuracy of the information in the entry.”.
The Director of NIH shall provide that the public may easily search the registry and results data bank for entries that include notices required under this subparagraph.
Nothing in this subsection (or under section 552 of title 5) shall require the Secretary to publicly disclose, by any means other than the registry and results data bank, information described in subparagraph (B).
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for each fiscal year.
Not later than 90 days after
The Council shall be composed of 27 members selected by the Director of NIH with approval from the Secretary from among the list of nominees under subparagraph (C).
The term of service for a member of the Council shall be 6 years, except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C).
Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until a successor has taken office.
Not later than 2 years after
Strategic plans developed and updated by the national research institutes and national centers of the National Institutes of Health shall be prepared regularly and in such a manner that such plans will be informed by the strategic plans developed and updated under this subsection. Such plans developed by and updated by the national research institutes and national centers shall have a common template.
The Director of National Institutes of Health shall develop the strategic plan under paragraph (1) in consultation with the directors of the national research institutes and national centers, researchers, patient advocacy groups, and industry leaders.
The Director of NIH shall, as appropriate, continue to consult with the directors of relevant institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health, other relevant experts from such institutes and centers, and relevant experts within the Food and Drug Administration, to further the field of regenerative medicine using adult stem cells, including autologous stem cells, therapeutic tissue engineering products, human cell and tissue products, human gene therapies, and genetically modified cells.