This report was written in response to quesions from the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment concerning the implementation by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of National Research Service Awards (NRSAs) in each of the fiscal years 1986, 1987, and 1988 made available for research in primary medical care. Discussions in this report include the definition of primary health care, justification of the 16 grants that NIH identified to the subcommittee, new solicitation required for grants, NRSAs for work in family medicine, the NIH determination of whether persons receiving NRSAs were likely to pursue careers relevant to primary medical research and legislative and administrative steps to be taken to assure compliance with the Public Health Service Act. The report lists and describes 16 NRSA recipients. Also included are comments from the Department of Health and Human Services. (CW)