42 U.S.C. § 247b–15 (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE)
§ 247b–15. Surveillance and education regarding hepatitis C virus
(a) In general
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may (directly and through grants to public and nonprofit private entities) provide for programs to carry out the following:
(1) To cooperate with the States in implementing a national system to determine the incidence of hepatitis C virus infection (in this section referred to as “HCV infection”) and to assist the States in determining the prevalence of such infection, including the reporting of chronic HCV cases.
(2) To identify, counsel, and offer testing to individuals who are at risk of HCV infection as a result of receiving blood transfusions prior to July 1992, or as a result of other risk factors.
(3) To provide appropriate referrals for counseling, testing, and medical treatment of individuals identified under paragraph (2) and to ensure, to the extent practicable, the provision of appropriate follow-up services.
(4) To develop and disseminate public information and education programs for the detection and control of HCV infection, with priority given to high risk populations as determined by the Secretary.
(5) To improve the education, training, and skills of health professionals in the detection and control of HCV infection, with priority given to pediatricians and other primary care physicians, and obstetricians and gynecologists.
(b) Laboratory procedures
The Secretary may (directly and through grants to public and nonprofit private entities) carry out programs to provide for improvements in the quality of clinical-laboratory procedures regarding hepatitis C, including reducing variability in laboratory results on hepatitis C antibody and PCR testing.
(c) Authorization of appropriations
For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 317N, as added Pub. L. 106–310, div. A, title XVIII, § 1801, Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1152.)
heading: Study and Demonstration Projects Regarding Cases of Hepatitis C Among Certain Emergency Response Employees
text: Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title XVII, § 1704], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–365, provided that:
“(a) Study Regarding Prevalence Among Certain Emergency Response Employees.—
“(1) In general.—
The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’), in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall conduct a study to determine—
“(A) an estimate of the prevalence of hepatitis C among designated emergency response employees in the United States; and
“(B) the likely means through which such employees become infected with such disease in the course of performing their duties as such employees.
“(2) Designated emergency response employees.—
For purposes of this section, the term ‘designated emergency response employees’ means firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians who are employees or volunteers of units of local government.
“(3) Date certain for completion; report to congress.—
The Secretary shall commence the study under paragraph (1) not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000]. Not later than one year after such date, the Secretary shall complete the study and submit to the Congress a report describing the findings of the study.
“(b) Demonstration Projects Regarding Training and Treatment.—
“(1) In general.—
The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall make grants to qualifying local governments for the purpose of carrying out demonstration projects that (directly or through arrangements with nonprofit private entities) carry out each of the following activities:
“(A) Training designated emergency response employees in minimizing the risk of infection with hepatitis C in performing their duties as such employees.
“(B) Testing such employees for infection with the disease.
“(C) Treating the employees for the disease.
“(2) Qualifying local governments.—
For purposes of this section, the term ‘qualifying local government’ means a unit of local government whose population of designated emergency response employees has a prevalence of hepatitis C that is not less than 200 percent of the national average for the prevalence of such disease in such populations.
“(3) Confidentiality.—
A grant may be made under paragraph (1) only if the qualifying local government involved agrees to ensure that information regarding the testing or treatment of designated emergency response employees pursuant to the grant is maintained confidentially in a manner not inconsistent with applicable law.
“(4) Evaluations.—
The Secretary shall provide for an evaluation of each demonstration project under paragraph (1) in order to determine the extent to which the project has been effective in carry [sic] out the activities described in such paragraph.
“(5) Report to congress.—
Not later than 180 days after the date on which all grants under paragraph (1) have been expended, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report providing—
“(A) a summary of evaluations under paragraph (4); and
“(B) the recommendations of the Secretary for administrative or legislative initiatives regarding the activities described in paragraph (1).
“(c) Authorization of Appropriations.—
For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2001.”