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United States · Bill · S

S. 2579 (95th)

President's Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

23 February 1978

Last action

28 June 1978 · Introduced

Status

Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

Sponsors

Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA], Sen. Schweiker, Richard S. [R-PA], Sen. Williams, Harrison A., Jr. [D-NJ], Sen. Javits, Jacob K. [R-NY], Sen. Pell, Claiborne [D-RI]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

2 September 2025

Summary

President's Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the President's Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavorial Research. Directs the Commission to issue a report every two years on the protection of human subjects of biomedical and behavioral research. Directs the Commission to complete any of the duties, and to periodically issue reports on this work of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, which remain unfinished on the date of enactment of this Act. Directs the Commission to study the ethical, social, and legal implications of: (1) advances in biomedical and behavioral research technology; and (2) resource allocation decisions concerning health care research and delivery. Directs the Commission to issue a report on such studies every three years. Directs the Commission to undertake studies: (1) to identify the requirements for informed consent by patients before they receive any medical treatment regardless of the setting of such treatment; (2) to investigate and study the matter of defining death including the advisability of developing a uniform definition of death; (3) to investigate and study the ethical, moral, social and legal implications of voluntary testing, counseling, and information and education programs with respect to genetic diseases and conditions; (4) to access and evaluate current procedures and mechanisms designed to safeguard the privacy of research subjects to ensure confidentiality of patient records, and to ensure appropriate access to information contained in such records by such patients; and (5) to investigate or study any other appropriate matter consistent with the purposes of this Act on its own initiative, at the request of the head of a department or agency, or at the request of a committee of the Congress. Directs the Commission to issue reports on such studies upon their completion. States that personal data collected by the Commission pursuant to this Act may not be disclosed to any person other than the individual who is the subject of the data. Authorizes each head of an executive or military department to establish an ethics advisory board to advise him or her on ethical and moral issues involving activities of the department.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 23 February 1978

    Introduced

    Referred to Senate Committee on Human Resources.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 23 February 1978

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 15 May 1978

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Human Resources with amendment, S. Rept. 95-852.

    Source: Committee

  4. 15 May 1978

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Human Resources with amendment, S. Rept. 95-852.

    Source: Committee

  5. 26 June 1978

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #173 (68-10) (similar provisions inserted in S. 2450 as passed Senate).

    Source: Floor

  6. 26 June 1978

    Floor

    Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  7. 28 June 1978

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

· Official source

Yes 0 · No 0 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 0

    Versions

    No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

    Documents

    2 official files

    Leesvertaling

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    • Passed Senate amended

      summary · EN · 26 June 1978

      Open at official source

    • Introduced in Senate

      summary · EN · 23 February 1978

      Open at official source

      Leesvertaling

      Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

      Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

    Sponsors

    Related records

    Sources

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