To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct or support a comprehensive study comparing total health outcomes, including risk of autism, in vaccinated populations in the United States with such outcomes in unvaccinated populations in the United States, and for other purposes.

Summary: Comprehensive Comparative Study of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Populations Act of 2006 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, to conduct or support a comprehensive study to: (1) compare total health outcomes, including risk of autism, in vaccinated, U.S. populations with such outcomes in unvaccinated, U.S. populations; and (2) determine whether vaccines or vaccine components play a role in the development of autism spectrum or other neurological conditions.

Requires the Secretary to include in the study U.S. populations that have traditionally remained unvaccinated for religious or other reasons, members of clinical practices who choose alternative medical practices, and practitioners of anthroposophic lifestyles.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Comprehensive Comparative Study of 
Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Populations Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Securing the health of the Nation's children is our 
        most important concern as parents and stewards of the Nation's 
        future.
            (2) The Nation's vaccine program has greatly reduced human 
        suffering from infectious disease by preventing and reducing 
        the outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases.
            (3) Total health outcomes are the best measure of the 
        success of any public health effort, including security from 
        both chronic and infectious disease.
            (4) Childhood immunizations are an important tool in the 
        pursuit of childhood health.
            (5) The number of immunizations administered to infants, 
        pregnant women, children, teenagers, and adults has grown 
        dramatically over recent years.
            (6) The incidence of chronic, unexplained diseases such as 
        autism, learning disabilities, and other neurological disorders 
        appears to have increased dramatically in recent years.
            (7) Individual vaccines are tested for safety, but little 
        safety testing has been conducted for interaction effects of 
        multiple vaccines.
            (8) The strategy of aggressive, early childhood 
        immunization against a large number of infectious diseases has 
        never been tested in its entirety against alternative 
        strategies, either for safety or for total health outcomes.
            (9) Childhood immunizations are the only health 
        interventions that are required by States of all citizens in 
        order to participate in civic society.
            (10) Public confidence in the management of public health 
        can only be maintained if these State government-mandated, mass 
        vaccination programs--
                    (A) are tested rigorously and in their entirety 
                against all reasonable safety concerns; and
                    (B) are verified in their entirety to produce 
                superior health outcomes.
            (11) There are numerous United States populations in which 
        a practice of no vaccination is followed and which therefore 
        provide a natural comparison group for comparing total health 
        outcomes.
            (12) No comparative study of such health outcomes has ever 
        been conducted.
            (13) Given rising concern over the high rates of childhood 
        neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, the need for such 
        studies is becoming urgent.

SEC. 3. STUDY ON HEALTH OUTCOMES IN VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED 
              AMERICAN POPULATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in 
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') , acting through the 
Director of the National Institutes of Health, shall conduct or support 
a comprehensive study--
            (1) to compare total health outcomes, including risk of 
        autism, in vaccinated populations in the United States with 
        such outcomes in unvaccinated populations in the United States; 
        and
            (2) to determine whether vaccines or vaccine components 
        play a role in the development of autism spectrum or other 
        neurological conditions.
    (b) Qualifications.--With respect to each investigator carrying out 
the study under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that the 
investigator--
            (1) is objective;
            (2) is qualified to carry out such study, as evidenced by 
        training experiences and demonstrated skill;
            (3) is not currently employed by any Federal, State, or 
        local public health agency; and
            (4) is not currently a member of a board, committee, or 
        other entity responsible for formulating immunization policy on 
        behalf of any Federal, State, or local public health agency or 
        any component thereof;
            (5) has no history of a strong position on the thimerosal 
        controversy; and
            (6) is not currently an employee of, or otherwise directly 
        or indirectly receiving funds from, a pharmaceutical company.
    (c) Target Populations.--The Secretary shall seek to include in the 
study under this section populations in the United States that have 
traditionally remained unvaccinated for religious or other reasons, 
such as Old Order Amish, members of clinical practices (such as the 
Homefirst practice in Chicago) who choose alternative medical 
practices, and practitioners of anthroposophic lifestyles.
    (d) Timing.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a request for 
proposals to conduct the study required by this section. Not later than 
120 days after receipt of any such proposal, the Secretary shall 
approve or disapprove the proposal. If the Secretary disapproves the 
proposal, the Secretary shall provide the applicant involved with a 
written explanation of the reasons for the disapproval.