§1520a — Title 50 War and National Defense | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must not test chemical or biological agents on people, either directly or through contractors. There are three narrow exceptions: tests for peaceful medical, therapeutic, pharmaceutical, agricultural, industrial, or research reasons; tests to protect against toxic chemicals or biological weapons; and tests for law enforcement purposes, including riot control. Those exceptions are allowed only if every person gives informed consent before taking part, and the Secretary files a full report with the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 30 days after final approval. The test can only start after those committees have had the report for 30 days. Biological agent: microbes (like bacteria, viruses, fungi, rickettsia, or protozoa), pathogens, infectious substances, or their natural, engineered, or synthetic parts that can cause death or disease, spoil food or supplies, or harm the environment.

Title 50, §1520a

War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Defense may not conduct (directly or by contract)—

(1)any test or experiment involving the use of a chemical agent or biological agent on a civilian population; or

(2)any other testing of a chemical agent or biological agent on human subjects.

(b)Subject to subsections (c), (d), and (e), the prohibition in subsection (a) does not apply to a test or experiment carried out for any of the following purposes:

(1)Any peaceful purpose that is related to a medical, therapeutic, pharmaceutical, agricultural, industrial, or research activity.

(2)Any purpose that is directly related to protection against toxic chemicals or biological weapons and agents.

(3)Any law enforcement purpose, including any purpose related to riot control.

(c)The Secretary of Defense may conduct a test or experiment described in subsection (b) only if informed consent to the testing was obtained from each human subject in advance of the testing on that subject.

(d)Not later than 30 days after the date of final approval within the Department of Defense of plans for any experiment or study to be conducted by the Department of Defense (whether directly or under contract) involving the use of human subjects for the testing of a chemical agent or a biological agent, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report setting forth a full accounting of those plans, and the experiment or study may then be conducted only after the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date such report is received by those committees.

(e)In this section, the term “biological agent” means any micro-organism (including bacteria, viruses, fungi, rickettsiac, or protozoa), pathogen, or infectious substance, and any naturally occurring, bioengineered, or synthesized component of any such micro-organism, pathogen, or infectious substance, whatever its origin or method of production, that is capable of causing—

(1)death, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a plant, or another living organism;

(2)deterioration of food, water, equipment, supplies, or materials of any kind; or

(3)deleterious alteration of the environment.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section is comprised of section 1078 of Pub. L. 105–85. Subsec. (f) of section 1078 of Pub. L. 105–85 amended section 1523(b) of this title. Subsec. (g) of section 1078 of Pub. L. 105–85 repealed section 1520 of this title. Section was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998, and not as part of Pub. L. 91–121, title IV, § 409, Nov. 19, 1969, 83 Stat. 209, which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1999—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106–65 substituted “and the Committee on Armed Services” for “and the Committee on National Security”.

§1520a Restrictions on use of human subjects for testing of chemical or biological agents

Summary

Title 50, §1520a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata