Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 6A— - PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES › Part Part B— - General Provisions Respecting National Research Institutes › § 284q
Encourages the NIH Director to keep and grow a strong program of basic and clinical research on what causes pain and how to treat it, run through the Pain Consortium. At least once a year, the Pain Consortium must work with the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives to send the NIH Director recommendations on pain research projects that could use funds reserved under section 282a(c)(1) for the Common Fund or other available money. The “Pain Consortium” means the NIH Pain Consortium or a similar NIH-wide coordinating group chosen by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to create, within one year after March 23, 2010, an Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee to coordinate pain research across HHS and other federal agencies. The Committee will have voting members including no more than 7 federal representatives appointed by the Secretary, plus 12 other voting members (6 non‑federal scientists, physicians, or health professionals and 6 public members from leading pain research, advocacy, or service groups). It may have nonvoting members. Voting members pick a chair who needs NIH approval. The Committee must meet at least once a year. It must summarize federal pain research and best practices (including non‑drug treatments, non‑addictive products, and FDA‑approved drugs/devices), find key research gaps (on causes, diagnosis/treatment/management, and substance‑use risk in people with pain), and make recommendations to avoid duplication, share information, and grow public‑private research partnerships. The Secretary must include the Director’s responses in reports to Congress and review the need for the Committee at least every two years.
Full Legal Text
The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 284q
Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73