Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§3515b Prohibition on funding certain experiments involving human participants

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 43— - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 3515b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Money from this Act or from later related appropriations cannot pay for experimental programs or other activities with human participants that the Secretary or a court finds dangerous to a participant’s physical, mental, or emotional health unless the participant gives written consent (if under eighteen, a parent or guardian must consent). The Secretary must make rules to enforce this.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §3515b

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

None of the funds appropriated by this Act or subsequent Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Acts shall be used to pay for any research program or project or any program, project, or course which is of an experimental nature, or any other activity involving human participants, which is determined by the Secretary or a court of competent jurisdiction to present a danger to the physical, mental, or emotional well-being of a participant or subject of such program, project, or course, without the written, informed consent of each participant or subject, or a participant’s parents or legal guardian, if such participant or subject is under eighteen years of age. The Secretary shall adopt appropriate regulations respecting this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to this section were contained in the following prior appropriation acts: Pub. L. 102–170, title II, § 211, Nov. 26, 1991, 105 Stat. 1127. Pub. L. 101–517, title II, § 212, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2209. Pub. L. 101–166, title II, § 215, Nov. 21, 1989, 103 Stat. 1178.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 3515b

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73