42 U.S.C. § 284r — Basic research

(1) Developing policies. Within 2 years of December 13, 2016, and after considering recommendations developed under section 2039, the Director of the National Institutes of Health had to develop policies for NIH-funded basic research projects that assess: (A) relevant biological variables, including sex, as appropriate; and (B) how differences between male and female cells, tissue, or animals should be examined and analyzed. (2) Revising policies. The Director may update or revise these policies as needed. (3) Consultation and outreach. In developing, updating, or revising these policies, the Director must: (A) consult the Office of Research on Women's Health, the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, and appropriate members of the scientific and academic communities; and (B) reach out to those communities for feedback on how sex should be treated as a variable in basic research, including when a study involving cells, tissue, or animals should include both sexes. (4) Additional requirements. The Director must: (A) make sure NIH-funded basic research follows the policies developed, updated, or revised under this section; and (B) encourage researchers to break down published or reported results by sex differences, where appropriate.