Expansion, intensification, and coordination of activities of national institutes of health regarding qualifying adult stem cell research

Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

409J.

Qualifying adult stem cell research

(a)

In general

(1)

Expansion of activities

The Director of NIH shall expand, intensify, and coordinate the activities of the National Institutes of Health regarding qualifying adult stem cell research. (2)

Collaboration among agencies

The Director shall carry out this section in collaboration with any other agencies that the Director determines appropriate. (b)

Centers of excellence

(1)

In general

In carrying out subsection (a)(1), the Director shall make awards of grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for centers of excellence regarding qualifying adult stem cell research. (2)

Research

Each center shall conduct basic and clinical research regarding qualifying adult stem cells. Such research should include investigations into the cause, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, control, and treatment of disease. (3)

Services for patients

(A)

In general

A center may expend amounts provided under paragraph (1) to carry out a program to make individuals aware of opportunities to participate as subjects in research conducted by the centers. (B)

Referrals and costs

A program under subparagraph (A) may, in accordance with such criteria as the Director may establish, provide to the subjects described in such subparagraph, referrals for health and other services, and such patient care costs as are required for research. (C)

Availability and access

The extent to which a center can demonstrate availability and access to clinical services shall be considered by the Director in decisions about awarding grants to applicants which meet the scientific criteria for funding under this section. (4)

Coordination of centers; reports

The Director shall, as appropriate, provide for the coordination of information among centers and ensure regular communication between such centers, and may require the periodic preparation of reports on the activities of the centers and the submission of the reports to the Director. (5)

Organization of centers

Each center shall use the facilities of a single institution, or be formed from a consortium of cooperating institutions, meeting such requirements as may be prescribed by the Director. (6)

Number of centers; duration of support

(A)

In general

The Director shall provide for the establishment of not less than five centers under paragraph (1). (B)

Duration

Support for a center may be provided under this section for a period of not to exceed 5 years. Such period may be extended for one or more additional periods not exceeding 5 years if the operations of such center have been reviewed by an appropriate technical and scientific peer review group established by the Director and if such group has recommended to the Director that such period should be extended. (c)

Facilitation of research

In carrying out subsection (a)(1), the Director shall provide for a program under which samples of tissues and genetic materials that are of use in qualifying adult stem cell research are donated, collected, preserved, and made available for such research. The program shall be carried out in accordance with accepted scientific and medical standards for the donation, collection, and preservation of such samples. (d)

Public input

In carrying out subsection (a)(1), the Director shall provide for means through which the public can obtain information on the existing and planned programs and activities of the National Institutes of Health regarding qualifying adult stem cell research and through which the Director can receive comments from the public regarding such programs and activities. (e)

Definitions

In this section: (1)The term center means a center of excellence under subsection (b)(1). (2)The term Director means the Director of NIH. (3)The term qualifying adult stem cell means a human stem cell obtained from a human placenta, umbilical cord blood, an organ or tissue of a living or deceased human being who has been born, or an organ or tissue of unborn human offspring who died of natural causes (such as spontaneous abortion). (f)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006 and each subsequent fiscal year. Such authorization of appropriations is in addition to any other authorization of appropriations that is available for activities of the National Institutes of Health regarding qualifying adult stem cell research.