Safe RESEARCH Act

To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit research with human fetal tissue obtained pursuant to an abortion, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe Responsible Ethical Scientific Endeavors Assuring Research for Compassionate Healthcare Act Safe RESEARCH Act 2. Prohibition on research with human fetal tissue obtained pursuant to an abortion (a) In general Section 498A of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 289g–1 (1) in the section heading, by striking Research on transplantation of fetal tissue Research with fetal tissue (2) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: (a) Establishment of program (1) In general The Secretary may conduct or support research with human fetal tissue, or research on modern, efficient alternatives to human fetal tissue such as organoids, induced pluripotent stem cells, and adult stem cells. The Secretary shall conduct or support any such research in accordance with this section. (2) Source of tissue Human fetal tissue may be used in research carried out under paragraph (1) only if the tissue is obtained pursuant to a stillbirth. ; (3) in subsection (b)(2)— (A) by striking subparagraph (A); and (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; (4) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking may have been obtained pursuant to a spontaneous or induced abortion or pursuant to a stillbirth has been obtained pursuant to a stillbirth (5) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) Human fetal tissue obtained for research In research carried out under subsection (a), human fetal tissue may be used only if such tissue was obtained in accordance with applicable State law regulating anatomical gifts. ; and (6) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows: (g) Definitions In this section: (1) Human fetal tissue The term human fetal tissue (2) Stillbirth The term stillbirth . (b) Technical amendment Paragraph (1) of section 498B(e) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 289g–2(e)(1) (1) The term human fetal tissue . (c) Revision of regulations Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall revise such regulations as necessary, including section 46.206 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, to incorporate the requirements of this section. (d) Repeal Section 113 of the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 289g–1

Summary: Safe Responsible Ethical Scientific Endeavors Assuring Research for Compassionate Healthcare Act or the Safe RESEARCH Act This bill prohibits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or supporting research on human fetal tissue obtained from an abortion procedure. It also imposes other restrictions on human fetal tissue research. Under the bill, the NIH may conduct or support research on human fetal tissue only if it was obtained from a stillbirth. Current law allows research on tissue from stillbirths or from spontaneous or induced abortions. The bill also applies informed consent and other requirements applicable to research on the transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes to all research with human fetal tissue. This includes research on stem cells and other human fetal tissue alternatives. Additionally, human fetal tissue used for this research must be obtained in accordance with state anatomical gift laws. These laws govern organ and tissue donation for therapeutic, research, and other purposes. Some states already apply anatomical gift laws to human fetal tissue donation. Currently, executive branch officials may not prohibit the NIH from conducting or supporting research on the transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes. The bill repeals this limitation on executive branch officials. It also repeals a requirement that the NIH fund certain proposals for this research.