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_______________________________. _______________________________ 4
Councilmember Trayon White, Sr Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 5
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A BILL 7
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 13
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To amend the Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001 to establish a thymus 19
imaging study for the purpose of studying differing life expectancies between Southeast 20
and Northwest DC, and to create the first comprehensive data inventory for thymus gland 21
size and weight and epigenetic biological age at different ages, sexes, and racial and 22
socio-economic backgrounds. 23
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 25
act may be cited as the “Pioneer Initiative for Thymus and Health Equity Amendment Act of 26
2024”. 27
Sec. 2. The Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001, effective October 28
3, 2001 (D.C. Law 14-28; D.C. Official Code § 7-731 et seq.), is amended by adding new 29
sections 4961 through 4964 to read as follows: 30
“Sec. 4961. Thymus imaging study and establishment of consortium. 31
“(a)(1) The Department of Health shall establish a consortium. 32
“(2) The consortium shall consist of hospitals, schools, health organizations, and 33
their associated hospitals or health clinics, or hospitals and health clinics with which they have 34
partnerships, within Washington, DC. 35
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“(3) Participating schools and hospitals must formally join the consortium to be 36
eligible to apply for funding under this title, through the Department of Health. To be eligible, 37
participating schools and hospitals must meet the following criteria: 38
“(A) They must be legally recognized entities with established operations 39
within Washington, DC; 40
“(B) They must demonstrate the capacity to collect, manage, and report 41
data from District residents, specifically for the purposes of the thymus imaging study as 42
described in section 4962; 43
“(C) They must have a track record of conducting health-related research 44
or clinical studies involving human participants; 45
“(D) They must possess the necessary infrastructure, personnel, and 46
expertise to effectively participate in the consortium’s activities, ensuring the integrity and 47
accuracy of the data collected; and 48
“(E) They must comply with all relevant local and federal laws and 49
regulations regarding the protection of human subjects and data privacy. 50
“(4) The consortium shall conduct a cross-sectional thymus imaging study, 51
described in section 4962, to assess the relationship between biological age and the thymus 52
gland’s weight, size, T-Cell output, and function. 53
“(5) The consortium shall also ensure that members collect data from at least 100 54
participants per subgroup. A subgroup is a group of participants who share the same sex, race, 55
age group, and standardized life-expectancy area. 56
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“(6) Members of the consortium shall work together to agree on the best methods 57
for effectively and efficiently collecting the data for the study described in section 4962, 58
attracting and retaining study participants, and communicating budgetary and legislative needs. 59
“(b) The Department of Health shall be responsible for issuing grants to members of the 60
consortium to collect and report the data described in section 4962. 61
“(c) The structure of the consortium shall be as follows: 62
“(1) Governance: 63
“(A) the Consortium shall be governed by a Board of Directors, composed 64
of representatives from each member institution, including hospitals, schools, health 65
organizations, and associated health clinics within Washington DC. 66
“(B) The Board shall include one representative appointed by the Mayor, 67
one representative appointed by the Council, and one representative from the Department of 68
Health. 69
“(C) The board shall elect a Chairperson from among its members to serve 70
a term of two years. 71
“(2) Executive Committee: 72
“(A) An Executive Committee, elected by the Board of Directors, shall be 73
responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of the consortium. 74
“(B) The Executive Committee shall include a President, Vice President, 75
Secretary, and Treasurer, who shall each serve two-year terms. 76
“(3) Advisory Panels: 77
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“(A) The consortium shall establish advisory panels as needed, consisting 78
of experts in relevant fields, to provide guidance on research methods, data collection, and other 79
technical aspects of the consortium’s activities. 80
“(B) Members of the Advisory Panels shall be appointed by the Executive 81
Committee and shall serve in an advisory capacity without voting rights on the Board of 82
Directors. 83
“(4) Membership: 84
“(A) Membership in the consortium shall be open to any legally 85
recognized school or hospital within Washington, DC. that meets eligibility criteria outlined in 86
subsection (a)(3). 87
“(B) Member institutions must enter into a formal agreement with the 88
Department of Health, committing to the consortium’s goals and adhering to its bylaws. 89
“(5) Funding: 90
“(A) The Consortium shall be funded through grants issued by the 91
Department of Health, as well as other federal, state, and private funding sources. 92
“(B) The Board of Directors shall oversee the allocation and management 93
of funds, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and to achieve the consortium’s objectives. 94
“(6) Transparency and Reporting: 95
“(A) The consortium shall maintain transparency in its operation, 96
including regular public reporting of its activities, fundings, and financial statements. 97
“(B) An annual report detailing the consortium’s progress, financial status, 98
and future plans shall be submitted to the Department of Health, the Council, and the Mayor. 99
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“(7) Compliance and Accountability: 100
“(A) The consortium and its members shall comply with all applicable 101
local and federal law and regulations, including those pertaining to research ethics, data 102
protection, and antitrust laws. 103
“(B) The Board of Directors shall establish mechanisms for accountability, 104
including regular audits and reviews of the consortium’s activities and finances. 105
“Sec. 4962. Thymus imaging study criteria and methodology. 106
“(a) The cross-sectional thymus imaging study shall include: 107
“(1) Cisgender men and women; 108
“(2) Individuals in the following age categories: ≤29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 109
or ≥70 years; 110
“(3) The following racial and ethnic categories: 111
“(A) Non-Hispanic Black; 112
“(B) White; and 113
“(C) Hispanic/Latino; and 114
“(4) Natural born residents from one of 5 standardized life-expectancy areas, 115
ranging from the highest to the lowest measured life-expectancy zip codes in the District. 116
“(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the thymus imaging study shall 117
exclude individuals who: 118
“(1) Are currently on HRT or hormone blockers; 119
“(2) Have an HIV infection; 120
“(4) Chronically use or are currently using glucocorticoid therapy; 121
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“(5) Are pregnant; 122
“(6) Are currently experiencing a substance use disorder; 123
“(7) Are not natural born citizens of the United States; 124
“(8) Are unwilling or unable to give voluntary informed consent, unless they are 125
18 or younger and the consent of their parent or guardian is able to be obtained; 126
“(9) Have uncorrected hypothyroidism; 127
“(10) Have Type 1 Diabetes; 128
“(11) Have used Growth Hormone in the last 5 years; 129
“(12) Have a known growth hormone deficiency based on stimulation testing; 130
“(12) Are currently undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment; and 131
“(13) Have been diagnosed with DiGeorge Syndrome, CHARGE syndrome, 132
chromosome 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome, Down Syndrome, Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria 133
Syndrome, or any other chromosomal deletion or duplication related, or diagnosed genetic 134
disorder which is known to affect the thymus or the process of aging. 135
“(c) The thymus imaging study shall collect the following data for each participant: 136
“(1) Detailed Thoracic MRI assessments of the Thymus to determine weight, size, 137
and fat percentage; 138
“(2) Complete blood count; 139
“(3) Complete endocrine panel; 140
“(4) Comprehensive metabolic panel; 141
“(5) Body mass index measurements; 142
“(6) Waist circumference; 143
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“(10) Telomere length measurement. 144
“(11) T-Cell receptor excision circle (“TREC”) analysis; 145
“(12) Lymphocyte phenotypes panel; 146
“(13) Epigenetic biological age; and 147
“(14) Information contained in a questionnaire, which may be answered by the 148
participant, their guardian, or by a medical professional on behalf of the participant, that shall 149
include at least the following questions: 150
“(A) Personal Information: 151
“(i) Age 152
“(ii) Sex 153
“(iii) Race/Ethnicity 154
“(iv) Height 155
“(v) Weight 156
“(vi) Socioeconomic Background 157
“(vii) Educational Level 158
“(viii) Employment Status 159
“(viiii) Household Income 160
“(ix) Zip Code 161
“(x) Zip Code of the hospital or place where you were born 162
“(B) Health History: 163
“(i) Have you ever been diagnosed with any chronic diseases? If 164
so, please list them. 165
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“(ii) Have you ever had a thymectomy? If so: 166
“(I) At what age? 167
“(II) What was the reason for the thymectomy? 168
“(iii) Do you have a history of autoimmune diseases? If so, please 169
list them. 170
“(iv) Have you been diagnosed with any form of cancer? If so: 171
“(I) At what age(s) were you diagnosed? 172
“(II) What was your diagnosis? 173
“(III) What is your current remission and Minimal Residual 174
Disease status? 175
“(v) Do you have a history of infection, particularly viral infections 176
(e.g., HIV, hepatitis, etc.)? If so: 177
“(I) At what age(s)? 178
“(II) What was your diagnosis? 179
“(vi) Have you undergone chemotherapy or radiation therapy? If 180
so: 181
“(I) At what age(s)? 182
“(II) If possible, please list them and the reason for their 183
use. 184
“(vii) Do you have a history of hormone replacement therapy or 185
glucocorticoid therapy? If so: 186
“(I) At what age(s)? 187
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“(II) If possible, please list them and the reason(s) for their 188
use. 189
“(viii) Do you have any known genetic disorders? If so, please list 190
them. 191
“(viiii) Are you currently on birth control? If so: 192
“(I) At what age(s)? 193
“(II) If possible, please list them and the reason(s) for their 194
use. 195
“(C) Current Health Status: 196
“(i) Are you currently taking any medications? If so, please list 197
them. 198
“(ii) Do you currently have any health conditions? If so, please list 199
them. 200
“(iii) Do you have any known allergies? If so, please list them. 201
“(iv) Have you experienced any recent infections or illnesses? If 202
so, please list them. 203
“(D) Lifestyle and Habits: 204
“(i) Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes per day and for 205
how many years? 206
“(ii) Do you consume alcohol? If so, how often and how much? 207
“(iii) Do you use recreational drugs? If so, which ones and how 208
often? 209
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“(iv) Describe your typical diet (e.g., vegetarian, vegan, 210
omnivorous, high fat, high sugar). 211
“(v) How many servings of fruits and vegetables do you consume 212
per day? 213
“(vii) How often do you consume processed foods? 214
“viii7) On average, how many meals do you eat per day? 215
“(viiii) Do you have any dietary restrictions or special diets (e.g., 216
gluten-free, ketogenic)? 217
“(E) Physical Activity: 218
“(i) How often do you exercise? 219
“(ii) What types of exercise do you engage in (e.g., aerobic, 220
strength training, flexibility exercises)? 221
“(iii) On average, how many hours per week do you spend 222
exercising? 223
“(iv) Do you have any physical limitations or disabilities that affect 224
your ability to exercise? 225
“(F) Mental Health: 226
“(i) Have you ever been diagnosed with any mental health 227
conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder)? If so, please list them. 228
“(ii) Are you currently receiving treatment for any mental health 229
conditions? If so, please list them. 230
“(iii) Do you experience high levels of stress? 231
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“(iv) How do you typically manage stress (e.g., exercise, 232
meditation, therapy)? 233
“(G) Sleep Patterns: 234
“(i) On average, how many hours of sleep do you get a night? 235
“(ii) Do you have any sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia, sleep 236
apnea)? If so, please list them. 237
“(iii) Do you feel rested when you wake up? 238
“(H) Obesity-Related Factors 239
“(i) Have you ever been diagnosed with obesity or overweight? 240
“(ii) Have you ever received treatment for obesity (e.g., bariatric 241
surgery, weight loss programs)? 242
“(iii) Do you have a history of metabolic syndrome? 243
“(I) Family Medical History: 244
“(i) Is there a family history of chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, 245
diabetes, cancer)? If so, please provide a list of each member, their familial 246
relation to yourself, and their respective diagnosis. 247
“(ii) Is there a family history of autoimmune diseases? If so, please 248
provide a list of each member, their familial relation to yourself, and their 249
respective diagnosis. 250
“(iii) Is there a family history of obesity? If so, please provide a list 251
of each member, their familial relation to yourself, and whether you have ever co-252
habited with them. 253
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“(J) Health Behaviors: 254
“(i) How often do you visit a healthcare provider for check-ups or 255
preventive care? 256
“(ii) Do you participate in any regular health screenings (e.g., 257
mammograms, colonoscopies)? 258
“(iii) Have you been vaccinated according to the recommended 259
schedule? If not, why? 260
“(K) Additional Information: 261
“(i) Is there anything else you believe is relevant to your health or 262
lifestyle that we should know? 263
“(d) The consortium may make any changes deemed necessary to the Questionnaire, if it 264
is in the interest of the study. 265
“(e) The consortium may expand the scope of testing, if it is in the interest of the study. 266
“(f) The consortium may alter subsection (a)(4) to lower the number of life expectancy 267
areas, if it is in the interest of the study. 268
“Sec. 4963. Data anonymization and public access. 269
“(a) All data collected from the study shall be anonymized to protect the privacy of 270
participants. 271
“(b) The anonymized data shall be made publicly accessible in a manner that allows 272
researchers, policymakers, and laymen to analyze the findings. Additionally, the public should 273
also be able to access the anonymized raw results of the study to perform their own statistical 274
analyses. 275
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“(c) The Department of Health and the consortium shall establish protocols to ensure the 276
secure storage and dissemination of the anonymized data. 277
“Sec. 4964. Reporting requirements. 278
“(a) The consortium shall submit annual reports to the Council and the Department of 279
Health detailing the progress and preliminary findings of the study, and financial expenditures. 280
“(b) A final comprehensive report shall be submitted at the conclusion of the cross-281
sectional study, summarizing all findings and providing recommendations for future research and 282
policy initiatives. 283
Sec. 3. Fiscal Impact Statement. 284
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement as the fiscal impact statement in the 285
committee report as required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 286
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 287
Sec. 4. Effective Date. 288
This act shall take effect upon its approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 289
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 290
as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 291
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 292