NIH 1998 Almanac/The Organization/NIAID/
National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases: NIAID Legislative Chronology
November 1, 1948--The National Microbiological Institute was established under
authority of section 202 of the Public Health Service Act, as implemented by General
Circular No. 55, Organization Order No. 20, dated October 8, 1948.
December 29, 1955--NIAID was established (replacing the National Microbiological
Institute) under authority of the Omnibus Medical Research Act (P.L. 81-692, 64 Stat. L.
443) as implemented by PHS Briefing Memorandum of November 4, 1955, from the Surgeon
General to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
November 4, 1988--NIAID was provided with additional authorities under title II of
the Health Omnibus Programs Extension Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-607), the first major law to
address AIDS research, information, education, and prevention.
August 14, 1991--The PHS act (P.L. 102-96), the "Terry Beirn Community Based
AIDS Research Initiative Act of 1991" reauthorized NIAID’s Community Programs
for Clinical Research on AIDS (CPCRA) for another 5 years.
June 10, 1993--The PHS act was amended by P.L. 103-43, the National Institutes of
Health Revitalization Act of 1993. This comprehensive legislation required NIAID to
include research on tropical diseases in its mission statement and directed the Secretary,
DHHS, to ensure that individuals with expertise in chronic fatigue syndrome or
neuromuscular diseases are appointed to appropriate NIH advisory committees.
