---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 286b–4"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "286b–4"
heading: "Assistance for projects in sciences related to health, for research and development in medical library science, and for development of education technologies"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/286b-4"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III — National Research Institutes"
  - "Part D — National Library of Medicine"
  - "Subpart 2 — financial assistance"
---

# §286b–4. Assistance for projects in sciences related to health, for research and development in medical library science, and for development of education technologies

- (a) **Compilation of existing and original writings on health—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make grants to physicians and other practitioners in the [sciences related to health](/usc/42/286b–1.md?p=2), to scientists, and to public or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) private institutions on behalf of such physicians, other practitioners, and scientists for the compilation of existing, or the writing of original, contributions relating to scientific, social, or cultural advancements in [sciences related to health](/usc/42/286b–1.md?p=2). In making such grants, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make appropriate arrangements under which the facilities of the Library and the facilities of libraries of public and private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institutions of higher learning may be made available in connection with the [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) for which such grants are made.
- (b) **Medical library science and related activities—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make grants to appropriate public or private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institutions and enter into contracts with appropriate persons, for purposes of carrying out [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) of research, investigations, and demonstrations in the field of [medical library](/usc/42/286b–1.md?p=1) science and related activities and for the development of new techniques, systems, and equipment, for processing, storing, retrieving, and distributing information pertaining to [sciences related to health](/usc/42/286b–1.md?p=2).
- (c) **Development of education technologies—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make grants to public or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) private institutions for the purpose of carrying out [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) of research on, and development and demonstration of, new education technologies.
  - (2) The purposes for which a grant under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) may be made include [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) concerning—
    - (A) computer-assisted teaching and testing of clinical competence at health professions and research institutions;
    - (B) the effective transfer of new information from research laboratories to appropriate clinical applications;
    - (C) the expansion of the laboratory and clinical uses of computer-stored research databases; and
    - (D) the testing of new technologies for training health care professionals.
  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may not make a grant under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) unless the applicant for the grant agrees to make the [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) available with respect to—
    - (A) assisting in the training of health professions students; and
    - (B) enhancing and improving the capabilities of health professionals regarding research and teaching.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IV, § 473, as added Pub. L. 99–158, § 2, Nov. 20, 1985, 99 Stat. 861; amended Pub. L. 103–43, title XIV, § 1411, June 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 171.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1993—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–43 added subsec. (c).