Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Pausing Enhanced Pandemic Pathogen Research Act of 2023”.
Pausing Enhanced Pandemic Pathogen Research Act of 2023
A BILL
To prohibit the National Institutes of Health from conducting or supporting certain gain-of-function research, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 No conduct or support by NIH of gain-of-function research
Part A of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“404P. Gain-of-function research
“(a) Prohibition—During the period ending on March 30, 2028, the National Institutes of Health shall not conduct or support, directly or indirectly, including through subgrants, any gain-of-function research.
“(b) Limitation—This section does not apply to characterization or testing of any naturally occurring influenza virus or coronavirus, unless the characterization or testing could increase pathogenicity or transmissibility.
“(c) Gain-of-Function research defined—In this section, the term “gain-of-function research” means any research that could enhance the transmissibility, virulence, or pathogenicity of any pathogen (whether or not classified as a pathogen of pandemic potential) or non-pathogen agent in a way that could result in one or more of the following:
“(1) The pathogen or agent becoming moderately or highly transmissible, virulent, or pathogenic in human populations.
“(2) The pathogen or agent causing significant morbidity or mortality in humans.
“(3) The pathogen or agent posing a severe threat to public health, the capacity of public health systems, or the national security of the United States.”