---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 285a–3"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "285a–3"
heading: "National cancer research and demonstration centers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/285a-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III — National Research Institutes"
  - "Part C — Specific Provisions Respecting National Research Institutes"
  - "Subpart 1 — national cancer institute"
---

# §285a–3. National cancer research and demonstration centers

- (a) **Cooperative agreements and grants for establishing and supporting—**
  - (1) The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Institute may enter into cooperative agreements with and make grants to public or private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, or strengthening, and providing basic operating support for centers for basic and [clinical research](/usc/42/284d.md?p=b) into, training in, and demonstration of advanced diagnostic, prevention, control, and [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) methods for cancer.
  - (2) A cooperative agreement or grant under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall be entered into in accordance with policies established by the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH and after consultation with the Institute’s [advisory council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1).
- (b) **Uses for Federal payments under cooperative agreements or grants—** Federal payments made under a cooperative agreement or grant under [subsection (a)](#a) may be used for—
  - (1) [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) (notwithstanding any limitation under [section 289e of this title](/usc/42/289e.md));
  - (2) staffing and other basic operating costs, including such patient care costs as are required for research;
  - (3) clinical training, including training for allied health professionals, continuing education for health professionals and allied health professions personnel, and information [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for the public respecting cancer; and
  - (4) demonstration purposes.

  As used in this paragraph, the term “[construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7)” does not include the acquisition of land, and the term “training” does not include research training for which Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research [Service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) Awards may be provided under [section 288 of this title](/usc/42/288.md).

- (c) **Period of support; additional periods—** Support of a center under [subsection (a)](#a) may be for a period of not to exceed five years. Such period may be extended by the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) for additional periods of not more than five years each if the operations of such center have been reviewed by an appropriate technical and scientific peer review group established by the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) and if such group has recommended to the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) that such period should be extended.
- (d) **Construction—** Research centers under this section may not be considered centers of excellence for purposes of [section 282(b)(10) of this title](/usc/42/282.md?p=b-10).

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IV, § 414, as added Pub. L. 99–158, § 2, Nov. 20, 1985, 99 Stat. 835; amended Pub. L. 100–607, title I, § 123, Nov. 4, 1988, 102 Stat. 3055; Pub. L. 107–206, title I, § 804(c), Aug. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 874; Pub. L. 109–482, title I, § 108(b), Jan. 15, 2007, 120 Stat. 3697.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2007—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–482 added subsec. (d).

2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–206 substituted “Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards” for “National Research Service Awards” in concluding provisions.

1988—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–607 inserted “control,” after “prevention,”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2007 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 109–482 applicable only with respect to amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2007 or subsequent fiscal years, see section 109 of Pub. L. 109–482, set out as a note under section 281 of this title.