Presidential Documents

10667 

Federal Register 

Vol. 74, No. 46 

Wednesday, March 11, 2009 

Title 3— 

The President 

Executive Order 13505 of March 9, 2009 

Removing Barriers to Responsible Scientific Research Involving Human Stem Cells 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the 

laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1. Policy. Research involving human embryonic stem cells and human 

non-embryonic stem cells has the potential to lead to better understanding 

and treatment of many disabling diseases and conditions. Advances over 

the past decade in this promising scientific field have been encouraging, 

leading to broad agreement in the scientific community that the research 

should be supported by Federal funds. 

For the past 8 years, the authority of the Department of Health and Human 

Services, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to fund and 

conduct human embryonic stem cell research has been limited by Presidential 

actions. The purpose of this order is to remove these limitations on scientific 

inquiry, to expand NIH support for the exploration of human stem cell 

research, and in so doing to enhance the contribution of America’s scientists 

to important new discoveries and new therapies for the benefit of humankind. 

Sec. 2. Research. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), 

through the Director of NIH, may support and conduct responsible, scientifically worthy human stem cell research, including human embryonic stem 

cell research, to the extent permitted by law. 

Sec. 3. Guidance. Within 120 days from the date of this order, the Secretary, 

through the Director of NIH, shall review existing NIH guidance and other 

widely recognized guidelines on human stem cell research, including provisions establishing appropriate safeguards, and issue new NIH guidance on 

such research that is consistent with this order. The Secretary, through 

NIH, shall review and update such guidance periodically, as appropriate. 

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented consistent 

with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. 

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: 

(i) authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or 

the head thereof; or 

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 

employees, or agents, or any other person. 


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10668 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 46 / Wednesday, March 11, 2009 / Presidential Documents 

Sec. 5. Revocations. (a) The Presidential statement of August 9, 2001, limiting 

Federal funding for research involving human embryonic stem cells, shall 

have no further effect as a statement of governmental policy. 

(b) Executive Order 13435 of June 20, 2007, which supplements the August 

9, 2001, statement on human embryonic stem cell research, is revoked. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

March 9, 2009. 

[FR Doc. E9–5441 

Filed 3–10–09; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3195–W9–P 


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