Pub. L. 105-78, tit. II, sec. 213

Sec. 213. (a) Study by the Institute of Medicine.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to conduct a comprehensive study of the policies and process used by the National Institutes of Health to determine funding allocations for biomedical research. (b) Matters To Be Assessed.—The study under subsection (a) shall assess— (1) the factors or criteria used by the National Institutes of Health to determine funding allocations for disease research; (2) the process by which research funding decisions are made; (3) the mechanisms for public input into the priority setting process; and (4) the impact of statutory directives on research funding decisions. (c) Report.— (1) In general.—Not later than 6 months after the date on which the Secretary of Health and Human Services enters into the contract under subsection (a), the Institute of Medicine shall submit a report concerning the study to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2) Requirement.—The report under paragraph (1) shall set forth the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Institute of Medicine for improvements in the National 111 STAT. 1496Institutes of Health research funding policies and processes and for any necessary congressional action. This title may be cited as the “Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 1998”.