Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§285d–1 National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Program

Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter III— NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES › Part C— Specific Provisions Respecting National Research Institutes › Subpart 4— national institute of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases › § 285d–1

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Director of the Institute must work with the Institute’s advisory council to write and send a national plan on arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases to the Director of NIH. The plan must grow, strengthen, and coordinate the Institute’s work. It must give special attention to finding causes and better treatments for arthritis in children. The Director must review the plan from time to time and send any updates to the Director of NIH. The program must be coordinated with other research institutes that have related duties. It must cover at least five areas: (1) studies of how these diseases start, spread, and can be prevented, using basic sciences (for example, immunology, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, and bioengineering); (2) developing and testing techniques, drugs, and devices for diagnosis, treatment (including medical rehabilitation), and prevention; (3) research on devices to replace damaged bone, muscle, joints, and supporting parts; (4) systems to track and prevent sports injuries on school athletic fields; and (5) studies of causes of childhood arthritis and the testing of diagnosis, treatment (including rehabilitation), and prevention methods for children. The Director must run the program according to the plan and any updates.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §285d–1

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Director of the Institute, with the advice of the Institute’s advisory council, shall prepare and transmit to the Director of NIH a plan for a national arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases program to expand, intensify, and coordinate the activities of the Institute respecting arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases. The plan shall include such comments and recommendations as the Director of the Institute determines appropriate. The plan shall place particular emphasis upon expanding research into better understanding the causes and the development of effective treatments for arthritis affecting children. The Director of the Institute shall periodically review and revise such plan and shall transmit any revisions of such plan to the Director of NIH.
(b)Activities under the national arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases program shall be coordinated with the other national research institutes to the extent that such institutes have responsibilities respecting arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, and shall, at least, provide for—
(1)investigation into the epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of all forms of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, including sports-related disorders, primarily through the support of basic research in such areas as immunology, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, bioengineering, and any other scientific discipline which can contribute important knowledge to the treatment and understanding of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases;
(2)research into the development, trial, and evaluation of techniques, drugs, and devices used in the diagnosis, treatment, including medical rehabilitation, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases;
(3)research on the refinement, development, and evaluation of technological devices that will replace or be a substitute for damaged bone, muscle, and joints and other supporting structures;
(4)the establishment of mechanisms to monitor the causes of athletic injuries and identify ways of preventing such injuries on scholastic athletic fields; and
(5)research into the causes of arthritis affecting children and the development, trial, and evaluation of techniques, drugs and devices used in the diagnosis, treatment (including medical rehabilitation), and prevention of arthritis in children.
(c)The Director of the Institute shall carry out the national arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases program in accordance with the plan prepared under subsection (a) and any revisions of such plan made under such subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–43, § 701(b)(1), inserted after second sentence “The plan shall place particular emphasis upon expanding research into better understanding the causes and the development of effective treatments for arthritis affecting children.” Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 103–43, § 701(b)(2), added par. (5). 1988—Pub. L. 100–607 inserted “and skin” after “musculoskeletal” in section catchline and wherever appearing in text.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 285d–1

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60