National Research Act

(LATEST SUMMARY)

National Research Act - =Title I: Biomedical and Behavioral Research Training= - National Research Services Award Act - Declares it to be the purpose of this Act to increase the capability of the National Institutes of Health and the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration.

Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to provide National Research Service awards and grants for biomedical and behavioral research and training. States that such awards may not be used to support residencies. Prescribes the procedures for application, review, and approval of such awards. Requires individuals receiving such awards to engage in specified services of health research or teaching for a specified length of time.

Requires the Secretary to conduct studies in enumerated areas of biomedical and behavioral research and training programs, detailing the content of such studies.

Makes conforming amendments to the Public Helath Service Act, including an exception for schools of medicine with discriminatory sex admission practices, where such practices are in the process of being changed under an approved plan.

Increases to $15,000,000 and continues through fiscal year 1974 the authorization of appropriations for financial distress grants.

=Title II: Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research= - Establishes the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, enumerating the duties of such Commission including: (1) to identify the basic ethical principles which should underlie the conduct of biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects, (2) develop guidelines for such research; and (3) make recommendations to the Secretary for administrative action to apply such guidelines, and concerning any other matter pertaining to the protection of human subjects of biomedical and behavioral research.

Requires the Commission to undertake a special, comprehensive study of the ethical, social, and legal implications of advances in biomedical and behavioral research and technology.

Establishes, under the Public Health Service Act, a National Advisory Council for the Protection of Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, enumerating the duties of such Council.

Requires grantees and contractees under the Public Health Service Act to establish institutional review boards to review research involving human subjects.

Prohibits discrimination against individuals or institutions for engaging or not engaging in any lawful health service or research activity because of religious beliefs or moral convictions.