Bill Summary
The Scientific Research Accessibility and Transparency Act of 2024 is a bill introduced in the United States Congress that aims to require the public release of all research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is also known as the "NIH Transparency Act." It states that within one year of the completion of the research, all data and findings must be made available for publication on the website of the NIH in an easily accessible manner. This includes both reports and raw data. The motivation for this bill is to ensure that the results of publicly funded research are accessible to the American public, regardless of the personal or political beliefs of the researchers. It also states that failure to comply with this requirement will result in a 5-year period of ineligibility for future NIH funding.
Possible Impacts
1. People involved in scientific research funded by the National Institutes of Health may face pressure to release their findings, even if it goes against their personal beliefs or political interests.
2. Individuals with gender dysmorphia may have access to important data about the effectiveness of puberty blockers, which can help them make informed decisions about their health.
3. Taxpayers have the right to know how their money is being used and the results of research funded by the National Institutes of Health.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5311 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5311
To require the public release of all research supported by the National
Institutes of Health.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 13, 2024
Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the public release of all research supported by the National
Institutes of Health.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Scientific Research Accessibility
and Transparency Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) According to the New York Times article, ``U.S. Study
on Puberty Blockers Goes Unpublished Because of Politics,
Doctor Says'' (October 23, 2024)--
(A) Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy led a study funded by
the National Institutes of Health concluding that the
mental health of children with gender dysmorphia did
not improve after taking puberty blockers;
(B) Dr. Olson-Kennedy's team has delayed the
release of data from this study because it may be used
for political causes with which she personally
disagrees;
(C) the project associated with Dr. Olson-Kennedy's
study has received $9,700,000 in government funding;
and
(D) the National Institutes of Health lets
researchers independently decide how and when to
publish their findings.
(2) Scientific researchers in the United States have a duty
to release properly collected scientific data, even if such
data does not comport with the political interests of the
researchers.
(3) The American public has a right to access data that was
collected using taxpayer dollars, regardless of the political
interests of the researchers collecting the data.
SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF NIH 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:
``SEC. 409K. PUBLICATION OF RESEARCH.
``(a) In General.--With respect to any research conducted by the
National Institutes of Health or with the support of funding made
available by the National Institutes of Health, not later than 1 year
after the conclusion of the research, the National Institutes of Health
or the person receiving such funding, as applicable, shall make
available for publication on the website of the National Institutes of
Health, and the National Institutes of Health shall publish on such
website, in an easily accessible manner--
``(1) a report on such research; or
``(2) if the person conducting such research does not
complete a report on the research, all raw data collected
through the research.
``(b) Noncompliance.--Any person that does not comply with the
requirements of subsection (a) shall be ineligible for funding from the
National Institutes of Health for a period of 5 years, beginning on the
date on which the report or raw data was required to be made available
for publication in accordance with subsection (a).''.
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