Chapter 90

The mother of a child born alive may not be prosecuted for a violation of, or attempt to or conspiracy to commit a violation of, G.S. 90-21.142 or G.S. 90-21.143 involving the child who was born alive. (2023-14, s. 3(a).)

(a) In General. - Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, unless the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, a person who violates G.S. 90-21.142 or G.S. 90-21.143 is guilty of a Class D felony, which shall include a fine o…

(a) Civil Remedies. - If a child is born alive and there is a violation of this Article, a claim for damages against any person who has violated a provision of this Article may be sought by the woman upon whom an abortion was performed or attempted in violation of this Article. A…

(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that, when used in accordance with this section, an automated external defibrillator may be used during an emergency for the purpose of attempting to save the life of another person who is in or who appears to be in cardiac arrest. (b)…

The following definitions apply in this Article: (1) Biological sex. - The biological indication of male and female in the context of reproductive potential or capacity, such as sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, gonads, and nonambiguous internal and external geni…

It shall be unlawful for a medical professional to perform a surgical gender transition procedure on a minor or to prescribe, provide, or dispense puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to a minor. (2023-111, s. 1.)

(a) Notwithstanding G.S. 90-21.151, and provided the minor's parents or guardians give informed consent, a medical professional shall not be prohibited from providing any of the following procedures to a minor: (1) Services to persons born with a medically verifiable disorder of …

A violation of any of the provisions of this Article by a medical professional shall be considered unprofessional conduct and shall result in the revocation of the medical professional's license to practice. (2023-111, s. 1.)

(a) Any (i) medical professional who performs a surgical gender transition procedure on a minor or who prescribes, provides, or dispenses puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to a minor and (ii) entity that employs or contracts with a medical professional who performs a s…

(a) Definitions. - The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Administer. - The direct application of an epinephrine delivery system to the body of an individual. (2) Authorized entity. - Any entity or organization, other than a school described in G.S. 115C-375.2A, at …

(a) This section applies as follows: (1) Any volunteer medical or health care provider at a facility of a local health department or at a nonprofit community health center, (2) Any volunteer medical or health care provider rendering services to a patient referred by a local healt…

(a) Unless the context requires otherwise, the definitions provided in G.S. 90-21.150 apply in this section. (b) Unless an action is brought pursuant to G.S. 90-21.154, a cause of action for malpractice under G.S. 1-15 arising out of the performance of or failure to perform servi…

(a) It is the intent of this section to recognize a patient's desire and right to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other life-prolonging measures to avoid loss of dignity and unnecessary pain and suffering through the use of a portable do not resuscitate ("DNR") order o…

This Article shall be known as the "Interstate Medical Licensure Compact." (2025-37, s. 1(a).)

(a) The purpose of this Article is to strengthen access to health care, and, in recognition of the advances in the delivery of health care, the member states of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (Compact) have allied in common purpose to develop a comprehensive process tha…

The following definitions apply in this Article: (1) Bylaws. - Bylaws established by the Interstate Commission pursuant to G.S. 90-21.181. (2) Commissioner. - The voting representative appointed by each member board pursuant to G.S. 90-21.181. (3) Conviction. - A finding by a cou…

(a) A physician must meet the eligibility requirements as defined in G.S. 90-21.172(11) to receive an expedited license under the terms and provisions of the Compact. (b) A physician who does not meet the requirements of G.S. 90-21.172(11) may obtain a license to practice medicin…

(a) A physician shall designate a member state as the state of principal license for purposes of registration for expedited licensure through the Compact if the physician possesses a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in that state, and that state meets any one of…

(a) A physician seeking licensure through the Compact shall file an application for an expedited license with the member board of the state selected by the physician as the state of principal license. (b) Upon receipt of an application for an expedited license, the member board w…

(a) A member state issuing an expedited license authorizing the practice of medicine in that state may impose a fee for a license issued or renewed through the Compact. (b) The Interstate Commission is authorized to develop rules regarding fees for expedited licenses. (2025-37, s…

(a) A physician seeking to renew an expedited license granted in a member state shall complete a renewal process with the Interstate Commission if the physician meets all of the following qualifications: (1) Maintains a full and unrestricted license in a state of principal licens…

(a) The Interstate Commission shall establish a database of all physicians who are licensed, or who have applied for licensure, under G.S. 90-21.175. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, member boards shall report to the Interstate Commission any public action or compl…

(a) Licensure and disciplinary records are deemed investigative. (b) In addition to authority granted to a member board by its respective medical practice act or other applicable state law, a member board may participate with other member boards in joint investigations of physici…

A medical director of a licensed nursing home shall not be named a defendant in an action pursuant to this Article except under any of the following circumstances: (1) Where allegations involve a patient under the direct care of the medical director. (2) Where allegations involve…

(a) Any disciplinary action taken by any member board against a physician licensed through the Compact shall be deemed unprofessional conduct which may be subject to discipline by other member boards, in addition to any violation of the medical practice act or regulations in that…

(a) The member states hereby create the "Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission." (b) The purpose of the Interstate Commission is the administration of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which is a discretionary state function. (c) The Interstate Commission shall …

The Interstate Commission has the following powers and duties: (1) Oversee and maintain the administration of the Compact. (2) Promulgate rules which shall be binding to the extent and in the manner provided for in the Compact. (3) Issue, upon the request of a member state or mem…

(a) The Interstate Commission may levy on and collect an annual assessment from each member state to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the Interstate Commission and its staff. The total assessment must be sufficient to cover the annual budget approved each year f…

(a) The Interstate Commission shall, by a majority of Commissioners present and voting, adopt bylaws to govern its conduct as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Compact within 12 months of the first Interstate Commission meeting. (b) The Interstate C…

(a) The Interstate Commission shall promulgate reasonable rules in order to effectively and efficiently achieve the purpose of the Compact. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Interstate Commission exercises its rulemaking authority in a manner that is beyond the scop…

(a) The executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government in each member state shall enforce the Compact and shall take all actions necessary and appropriate to effectuate the Compact's purposes and intent. The provisions of the Compact and the rules promulgated h…

(a) The Interstate Commission, in the reasonable exercise of its discretion, shall enforce the provisions and rules of the Compact. (b) The Interstate Commission may, by majority vote of the Commissioners, initiate legal action in the United States District Court for the District…

(a) The grounds for default include, but are not limited to, failure of a member state to perform such obligations or responsibilities imposed upon it by the Compact, or the rules and bylaws of the Interstate Commission promulgated under the Compact. (b) If the Interstate Commiss…

(a) The Interstate Commission shall attempt to resolve disputes upon the request of a member state, which are subject to the Compact and which may arise among member states or member boards. (b) The Interstate Commission shall promulgate rules providing for both mediation and bin…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, in any medical malpractice action in which the plaintiff is entitled to an award of noneconomic damages, the total amount of noneconomic damages for which judgment is entered against all defendants shall not exce…

(a) Any state is eligible to become a member of the Compact. (b) The Compact shall become effective and binding upon legislative enactment of the Compact into law by no less than seven states. Thereafter, it shall become effective and binding on a state upon enactment of the Comp…

(a) Once effective, the Compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each and every member state, provided that a member state may withdraw from the Compact by specifically repealing the statutes which enacted the Compact into law. (b) Withdrawal from the Compact shall…

(a) The Compact shall dissolve effective upon the date of the withdrawal or default of the member state which reduces the membership of the Compact to one member state. (b) Upon the dissolution of the Compact, the Compact becomes null and void and shall be of no further force or …

The provisions of the Compact shall be severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision is deemed unenforceable, the remaining provisions of the Compact shall be enforceable. The provisions of the Compact shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purposes. Nothin…

(a) Nothing herein prevents the enforcement of any other law of a member state that is not inconsistent with the Compact. (b) All laws in a member state in conflict with the Compact are superseded to the extent of the conflict. (c) All lawful actions of the Interstate Commission,…

In any malpractice action, any verdict or award of damages, if supported by the evidence, shall indicate specifically what amount, if any, is awarded for noneconomic damages. If applicable, the court shall instruct the jury on the definition of noneconomic damages under G.S. 90-2…

The word "treatment" as used in G.S. 90-21.1 is hereby defined to mean any medical procedure or treatment, including X rays, the administration of drugs, blood transfusions, use of anesthetics, and laboratory or other diagnostic procedures employed by or ordered by a physician li…

(a) Such cases of wounds, injuries or illnesses as are enumerated in subsection (b) shall be reported as soon as it becomes practicable before, during or after completion of treatment of a person suffering such wounds, injuries, or illnesses. If such case is treated in a hospital…

(a) A physician who reports to a government agency responsible for pilots' licenses or certificates or a government agency responsible for air safety that a pilot or an applicant for a pilot's license or certificate suffers from or probably suffers from a physical disability or i…

(a) Notwithstanding G.S. 8-53 or any other provision of law, a health care provider may disclose to a law enforcement officer protected health information only to the extent that the information may be disclosed under the federal Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable…

(a) The North Carolina Medical Board (Board) may enter into agreements with the North Carolina Medical Society (Society), the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (Academy), and the North Carolina Physicians Health Program (Program) for the purposes of identifying, revi…

(a) As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Medical review committee." - A committee composed of health care providers licensed under this Chapter that is formed for the purpose of evaluating the quality of, cost of, or necessity for health care services, includin…

For the purpose of making applicable in the State the early opt-in provisions of Title 4 of the "Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986," P.L. 99-660, the State elects to exercise on October 1, 1987, the provisions of Title 4, Section 411(c)(2)(A) of that act to promote good…

The word "treatment" as defined in G.S. 90-21.2 shall also include any surgical procedure which in the opinion of the attending physician is necessary under the terms and conditions set out in G.S. 90-21.1; provided, however, no surgery shall be conducted upon a minor as herein a…

(a) Any physician licensed to practice medicine in North Carolina providing health services to a minor under the terms, conditions and circumstances of this Article shall not be held liable in any civil or criminal action for providing such services without having obtained permis…