investigation into the epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of all forms and aspects of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases, including investigations into the social, environmental, behavioral, nutritional, biological, and genetic determinants and influences involved in the epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of such diseases;

studies and research into the basic biological processes and mechanisms involved in the underlying normal and abnormal heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood phenomena;

research into the development, trial, and evaluation of techniques, drugs, and devices (including computers) used in, and approaches to, the diagnosis, treatment (including the provision of emergency medical services), and prevention of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases and the rehabilitation of patients suffering from such diseases;

establishment of programs that will focus and apply scientific and technological efforts involving the biological, physical, and engineering sciences to all facets of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases with emphasis on the refinement, development, and evaluation of technological devices that will assist, replace, or monitor vital organs and improve instrumentation for detection, diagnosis, and treatment of and rehabilitation from such diseases;

establishment of programs for the conduct and direction of field studies, large-scale testing and evaluation, and demonstration of preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative approaches to, and emergency medical services for, such diseases;

studies and research into blood diseases and blood, and into the use of blood for clinical purposes and all aspects of the management of blood resources in the United States, including the collection, preservation, fractionation, and distribution of blood and blood products;

the education (including continuing education) and training of scientists, clinical investigators, and educators, in fields and specialties (including computer sciences) requisite to the conduct of clinical programs respecting heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases and blood resources;

public and professional education relating to all aspects of such diseases, including the prevention of such diseases, and the use of blood and blood products and the management of blood resources;

establishment of programs for study and research into heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases of children (including cystic fibrosis, hyaline membrane, hemolytic diseases such as sickle cell anemia and Cooley’s anemia, and hemophilic diseases) and for the development and demonstration of diagnostic, treatment, and preventive approaches to such diseases; and

establishment of programs for study, research, development, demonstrations and evaluation of emergency medical services for people who become critically ill in connection with heart, blood vessel, lung, or blood diseases.