SEARCH Act of 2024

Bill: 118-hr-10484
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Introduced: 2024-12-18
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10484 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 18, 2024 Mr. Gottheimer (for himself and Ms. Pettersen ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase participation by women in clinical trials that are conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing Equal Access to Research, Care, and Health Act of 2024 or the SEARCH Act of 2024 . 2. Public awareness campaign to increase participation of women in NIH clinical trials (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 carry out a public awareness campaign to increase the participation of women in clinical trials conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health. (b) Targeted outreach In carrying out the campaign under subsection (a), the Secretary shall increase outreach at hospitals, physicians’ offices, health centers, health care clinics, and other locations that the Secretary determines appropriate. (c) Priority In carrying out the campaign under subsection (a), the Secretary shall prioritize increasing the participation of women in clinical trials involving research on, and development of, products to prevent, diagnose, or treat, rare diseases and conditions. (d) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. 3. Public awareness campaign to increase awareness of bleeding and clotting disorders in women (a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry out a public awareness campaign to increase the number of women participating in programs of the Department of Health and Human Services for research, surveillance, and prevention with respect to bleeding and clotting disorders, including hemophilia. (b) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. 4. Interagency Task Force on Advancing Treatments for Rare Diseases Part A of title III of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 241 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 310C. Interagency Task Force on Advancing Treatments for Rare Diseases (a) In general The Secretary shall maintain a permanent task force, to be known as the Interagency Task Force on Advancing Treatments for Rare Diseases (in this section referred to as the Task Force ). The Secretary shall establish the Task Force not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the SEARCH Act of 2024 . (b) Composition The Task Force shall be composed of the following members: (1) The Secretary. (2) The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (3) The Commissioner of Food and Drugs. (4) The Director of the National Institutes of Health. (5) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (6) Four individuals, to be appointed by the Secretary, who are— (A) biopharmaceutical innovators with respect to rare diseases and conditions; (B) private health plan administrators; or (C) representatives of institutions or organizations conducting federally funded research with respect to rare diseases and conditions. (7) Four individuals, to be appointed by the Secretary, who are representatives of rare disease advocacy groups. (c) Duties The Task Force shall— (1) assess— (A) Federal agency activities concerning rare diseases, including projects involving two or more agencies; (B) overall programmatic funding; and (C) potential measurable outcomes to include in future reports; and (2) coordinate the efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services to incentivize research on, and development of, products for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment with respect to rare diseases and conditions, particularly rare diseases and conditions that disproportionately impact women. . 5. Action plan for coordinating HHS efforts with respect to certain rare diseases and conditions (a) In general The Secretary shall prepare an action plan for coordinating efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services to incentivize research on, and development of, products for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment with respect to rare diseases and conditions that disproportionately impact women. (b) Submission and public availability Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) complete the action plan required by subsection (a); (2) submit such action plan to the Congress; and (3) make such plan publicly available, including by posting on the websites of the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health.