NIH Reform Act

S. 664, the NIH Reform Act, would restructure the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) by dividing it into three separate national research institutes within the National Institutes of Health. The bill would create a National Institute of Allergic Diseases, a National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and a National Institute of Immunologic Diseases, each with its own director and research mission. This reorganization would require an orderly transition of authorities and programs from the current NIAID structure to these new institutes.

If enacted, this restructuring would affect how the NIH conducts and funds research on allergies, infectious diseases, and immune system disorders. The bill is currently in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and has not yet been voted on by the full Senate. The reorganization would represent a significant change to the NIH's institutional structure, which has remained largely stable since the 2016 21st Century Cures Act.