The TRACK Act requires the federal government to create and maintain a public database showing how taxpayer money supports medical research and development. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services must compile information about federal contracts, tax breaks, and other financial support given to biomedical research projects, then make this information available to the public.

The database will show who's providing the money (which federal agency), who's receiving it (research companies or institutions), exactly what support was given, any clinical trial results from the research, and what medical products actually made it to market as a result. This means if you want to know where your tax dollars are going in medical research, you'll be able to look it up. The government has to create this database within one month and update it every two weeks so the information stays current.

Essentially, this bill is about transparency—letting taxpayers see which organizations are getting federal support for medical research and what comes out of that investment in terms of actual medicines or treatments that reach patients.

TRACK Act of 2023

Merkley, Jeff

Taxpayer Research and Contributions Knowledge Act of 2023 or the TRACK Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to work with other federal entities to compile a public database of federal contracts, tax benefits, and other support for biomedical research and development. HHS must develop the database within one month and update it every two weeks. The bill sets out elements that must be in the database, including (1) the agency or other federal entity providing the support, (2) the entity receiving the support, (3) an itemized accounting of the support provided, (4) any associated clinical trial data, and (5) any medical products that were developed using the support and that are being brought to market.