On November 12, the House approved, by voice vote, the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early (PREEMIE) Act (S. 252). The Senate approved the House version of the bill on November 14, after previously passing an original version of the legislation on September 25 (see The Source, 9/27/13).
The measure would extend through FY2018 the authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct epidemiological studies on the “clinical, biological, social, environmental, genetic, and behavioral factors relating to prematurity.” The CDC would be authorized to improve data to track the burden of preterm birth and continue efforts to prevent preterm births. The measure would authorize $1.88 million annually for such activities.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) would continue telemedicine services, but would be authorized to extend such services to address high-risk pregnancies. Counseling and community outreach programs to increase access to “evidence-based, clinical information” about the causes of prematurity, birth defects, or health risks would be reauthorized. The legislation would authorize $1.9 million annually through FY2018 for these activities.
An Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality would be established in order to provide recommendations to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding HHS programs directed at reducing infant mortality and improving the health status of pregnant women and infants. The committee also would strategize about coordination among federal, state, local, and private-sector programs.
As amended, the bill would establish a national network and database, administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for research on rare diseases affecting children. The network would focus on clinical and behavioral research of birth defects related to Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome, among other diseases and conditions.
Also as amended, the bill also would provide care for chimpanzees under the care, maintenance, and control of NIH.
