---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 287d"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "287d"
heading: "Office of Research on Women’s Health"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/287d"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III — National Research Institutes"
  - "Part F — Research on Women’s Health"
---

# §287d. Office of Research on Women’s Health

- (a) **Establishment—** There is established within the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of the [Director of NIH](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-1) an [office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) to be known as the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) of [Research on Women](#f-2)’s Health (in this part referred to as the “[Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1)”). The [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall be headed by a [director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1), who shall be appointed by the [Director of NIH](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-1) and who shall report directly to the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1).
- (b) **Purpose—** The [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) identify [projects](/usc/42/11360.md?p=20) of [research on women](#f-2)’s health that should be conducted or supported by the [national research institutes](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-2);
  - (2) identify multidisciplinary research relating to [research on women](#f-2)’s health that should be so conducted or supported;
  - (3) carry out paragraphs [(1)](#b-1) and [(2)](#b-2) with respect to the aging process in [women](#f-1), with priority given to menopause;
  - (4) promote coordination and collaboration among entities conducting research identified under any of [paragraphs (1) through (3)](#b-1..b-3);
  - (5) encourage the conduct of such research by entities receiving [funds](/usc/42/12854.md?p=3) from the [national research institutes](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-2);
  - (6) recommend an agenda for conducting and supporting such research;
  - (7) promote the sufficient [allocation](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=2) of the resources of the [national research institutes](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-2) for conducting and supporting such research;
  - (8) assist in the administration of [section 289a–2 of this title](/usc/42/289a–2.md) with respect to the inclusion of [women](#f-1) as subjects in [clinical research](/usc/42/284d.md?p=b); and
  - (9) prepare the report required in [section 287d–2 of this title](/usc/42/287d–2.md).
- (c) **Coordinating Committee—**
  - (1) In carrying out [subsection (b)](#b), the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall establish a committee to be known as the Coordinating Committee on [Research on Women](#f-2)’s Health (in this subsection referred to as the “Coordinating Committee”).
  - (2) The Coordinating Committee shall be composed of the [Directors](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [national research institutes](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-2) (or the senior-level staff designees of the [Directors](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1)).
  - (3) The [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall serve as the chair of the Coordinating Committee.
  - (4) With respect to [research on women](#f-2)’s health, the Coordinating Committee shall assist the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) in—
    - (A) identifying the need for such research, and making an estimate each fiscal year of the [funds](/usc/42/12854.md?p=3) needed to adequately support the research;
    - (B) identifying needs regarding the coordination of research activities, including intramural and extramural multidisciplinary activities;
    - (C) supporting the development of methodologies to determine the circumstances in which obtaining data specific to [women](#f-1) (including data relating to the age of [women](#f-1) and the membership of [women](#f-1) in ethnic or racial groups) is an appropriate function of clinical trials of [treatments](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) and therapies;
    - (D) supporting the development and expansion of clinical trials of [treatments](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) and therapies for which obtaining such data has been determined to be an appropriate function; and
    - (E) encouraging the [national research institutes](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-2) to conduct and support such research, including such clinical trials.
- (d) **Advisory Committee—**
  - (1) In carrying out [subsection (b)](#b), the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall establish an [advisory committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9) to be known as the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9) on [Research on Women](#f-2)’s Health (in this subsection referred to as the “[Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9)”).
  - (2) The [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9) shall be composed of no fewer than 12, and not more than 18 individuals, who are not officers or [employees](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the Federal Government. The [Director of NIH](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-1) shall make appointments to the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9) from among [physicians](/usc/42/1395cc–4.md?p=a-2-E), [practitioners](/usc/42/1395a.md?p=b-6-C), scientists, and other health professionals, whose clinical practice, research specialization, or professional expertise includes a significant focus on [research on women](#f-2)’s health. A majority of the members of the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9) shall be [women](#f-1).
  - (3) The [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) shall serve as the chair of the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9).
  - (4) The [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9) shall—
    - (A) advise the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) on appropriate research activities to be undertaken by the [national research institutes](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-2) with respect to—
      - (i) [research on women](#f-2)’s health;
      - (ii) research on gender differences in clinical [drug](/usc/42/282.md?p=j-1-A-vii) trials, including responses to pharmacological [drugs](/usc/42/282.md?p=j-1-A-vii);
      - (iii) research on gender differences in disease etiology, course, and [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11);
      - (iv) research on obstetrical and gynecological health conditions, diseases, and [treatments](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11), including preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity; and
      - (v) [research on women](#f-2)’s health conditions which require a multidisciplinary approach;
    - (B) report to the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) on such research;
    - (C) provide recommendations to such [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) regarding activities of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) (including recommendations on the development of the methodologies described in [subsection (c)(4)(C)](#c-4-C) and recommendations on priorities in carrying out research described in [subparagraph (A)](#d-4-A)); and
    - (D) assist in monitoring compliance with [section 289a–2 of this title](/usc/42/289a–2.md) regarding the inclusion of [women](#f-1) in [clinical research](/usc/42/284d.md?p=b).
  - (5)
    - (A) The [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/7703.md?p=9) shall prepare a biennial report describing the activities of the Committee, including findings made by the Committee regarding—
      - (i) compliance with [section 289a–2 of this title](/usc/42/289a–2.md);
      - (ii) the extent of expenditures made for [research on women](#f-2)’s health by the agencies of the National Institutes of Health; and
      - (iii) the level of funding needed for such research.
    - (B) The report required in [subparagraph (A)](#d-5-A) shall be submitted to the [Director of NIH](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-1) for inclusion in the report required in [section 283 of this title](/usc/42/283.md).
- (e) **Representation of women among researchers—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), acting through the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) for Personnel and in collaboration with the [Director](/usc/42/5061.md?p=1) of the [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1), shall determine the extent to which [women](#f-1) are represented among senior [physicians](/usc/42/1395cc–4.md?p=a-2-E) and scientists of the [national research institutes](/usc/42/281.md?p=g-2) and among [physicians](/usc/42/1395cc–4.md?p=a-2-E) and scientists conducting research with [funds](/usc/42/12854.md?p=3) provided by such institutes, and as appropriate, carry out activities to increase the extent of such representation.
- (f) **Definitions—** For purposes of this part:
  - (1) The term “women’s health conditions”, with respect to women of all age, ethnic, and racial groups, means all diseases, disorders, and conditions (including with respect to mental health)—
    - (A) unique to, more serious, or more prevalent in [women](#f-1);
    - (B) for which the factors of medical risk or types of medical intervention are different for [women](#f-1), or for which it is unknown whether such factors or types are different for [women](#f-1); or
    - (C) with respect to which there has been insufficient [clinical research](/usc/42/284d.md?p=b) involving [women](#f-1) as subjects or insufficient clinical data on [women](#f-1).
  - (2) The term “research on women’s health” means research on women’s health conditions, including research on preventing such conditions.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IV, § 486, as added Pub. L. 103–43, title I, § 141(a)(3), June 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 136; amended Pub. L. 105–340, title I, § 106, Oct. 31, 1998, 112 Stat. 3193; Pub. L. 111–148, title III, § 3509(c), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 534; Pub. L. 114–255, div. A, title II, § 2038(c), Dec. 13, 2016, 130 Stat. 1065; Pub. L. 117–103, div. P, title I, § 141(d), Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 798.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (d)(4)(A)(iv). Pub. L. 117–103 inserted “, including preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity” before “; and”.

2016—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 114–255 substituted “senior-level staff designees” for “designees”.

2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–148 inserted “and who shall report directly to the Director” before period at end.

1998—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 105–340 substituted “NIH” for “the Office”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Termination of Advisory Committees

Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by Congress, its duration is otherwise provided for by law. See section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Pub. L. 93–641, § 6, Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2275, set out as a note under section 217a of this title, provided that an advisory committee established pursuant to the Public Health Service Act shall terminate at such time as may be specifically prescribed by an Act of Congress enacted after Jan. 4, 1975.