---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19052"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19052"
heading: "Research ethics"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19052"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — National Science Foundation for the Future"
  - "Part E — Fundamental Research"
---

# §19052. Research ethics

- (a) **Sense of Congress—** It is the sense of Congress that—
  - (1) a number of emerging areas of research have potential ethical, social, safety, and security implications that might be apparent as early as the basic research stage;
  - (2) the incorporation of ethical, social, safety, and security considerations into the research design and review process for Federal awards, may help mitigate potential harms before they happen;
  - (3) the [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11)’s agreement with the [National Academies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=20) to conduct a study and make recommendations with respect to governance of research in emerging technologies is a positive step toward accomplishing this goal; and
  - (4) the [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) should continue to work with stakeholders to promote best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) for governance of research in emerging technologies at every stage of research.
- (b) **Incorporation of ethics considerations—** Drawing on stakeholder input, not later than 24 months after August 9, 2022, the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall revise proposal instructions to require that ethical and societal considerations are to be included as part of a proposal for funding prior to making the award, where such considerations are applicable. Such considerations shall be evaluated by the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) in the review of proposals, taking into account any relevant input from the peer-reviewers for the proposal, and shall factor into award decisions, as deemed necessary by the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1). When incorporating such considerations, proposers may include, as appropriate—
  - (1)
    - (A) any readily foreseeable or quantifiable risks to society, including how the research could enable products, technologies, or other outcomes that could intentionally or unintentionally cause significant societal harm; or
    - (B) an assertion that no readily foreseeable potential ethical, social, safety, or security implications are apparent;
  - (2) how technical or social solutions can mitigate such risks and, as appropriate, a plan to implement such mitigation measures; and
  - (3) how partnerships and collaborations in the research can help mitigate potential harm and amplify potential societal benefits.
- (c) **Guidance—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall solicit stakeholder input to develop clear guidance on what constitutes a readily foreseeable or quantifiable risk as described in [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1), and to the extent practicable harmonize this policy with existing ethical policies or related requirements for human subjects.
- (d) **Research—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or [non-profit organizations](/usc/42/18901.md?p=21) (or consortia of such institutions or organizations) to support—
  - (1) research to assess the potential ethical and societal implications of [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11)-supported research and products or technologies enabled by such research, including the benefits and risks identified pursuant to [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1); and
  - (2) the development and verification of approaches to proactively mitigate foreseeable risks to society, including the technical and social solutions identified pursuant to [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1).
- (e) **Annual report—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall encourage [recipients](/usc/42/18901.md?p=24) to update their consideration of potential risks and benefits as appropriate as part of the annual reports required by all [awardees](/usc/42/18901.md?p=2) under the award terms and conditions.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10343, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1557.)