PRIA Logo™
Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-110

§7334 Regulations

Title 38 › PART V — BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES › CHAPTER 73 — VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION—ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS › SUBCHAPTER III — PROTECTION OF PATIENT RIGHTS › § 7334

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must, as much as possible while following the rest of the law, make certain Health and Human Services rules apply to VA research and to hospital, nursing home, domiciliary, and other medical care provided under this title. Those rules include HHS rules on human experiments and informed consent based on the National Commission (created by the National Research Act (Public Law 93–348; 88 Stat. 348)), and HHS rules about confidentiality of drug and alcohol treatment records and admission of drug or alcohol abusers to hospitals under the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4551 et seq.) and the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (21 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). The Secretary may add definitions, safeguards, and procedures — including rules about court orders under section 7332(b)(2)(C) — to prevent people from evading the rules or to help follow them. The Secretary must consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and, when appropriate, the President (or the President’s delegate) from time to time to coordinate the rules and how they are put into practice.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §7334

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Regulations prescribed by the Secretary under section 7331 of this title, section 7332 of this title with respect to the confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse medical records, and section 7333 of this title with respect to alcohol or drug abusers shall, to the maximum extent feasible consistent with other provisions of this title, make applicable the regulations described in subsection (b) to the conduct of research and to the provision of hospital care, nursing home care, domiciliary care, and medical services under this title.
(b)The regulations referred to in subsection (a) are—
(1)regulations governing human experimentation and informed consent prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, based on the recommendations of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, established by section 201 of the National Research Act (Public Law 93–348; 88 Stat. 348); and
(2)regulations governing (A) the confidentiality of drug and alcohol abuse medical records, and (B) the admission of drug and alcohol abusers to private and public hospitals, prescribed pursuant to the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4551 et seq.) and the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (21 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(c)Regulations prescribed by the Secretary under section 7331, 7332, and 7333 of this title may contain such definitions, and may provide for such safeguards and procedures (including procedures and criteria for the issuance and scope of court orders under section 7332(b)(2)(C) of this title), as are necessary to prevent circumvention or evasion of such regulations or to facilitate compliance with such regulations.
(d)In prescribing and implementing such regulations, the Secretary shall, from time to time, consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and, as appropriate, with the President (or the delegate of the President) in order to achieve the maximum possible coordination of the regulations, and the implementation of the regulations, which they and the Secretary prescribe.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 201 of the National Research Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is section 201 of Pub. L. 93–348, title II, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 348, which was set out as a note under section 289l–1 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and was repealed by Pub. L. 95–622, title III, § 302(b), Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3442. The Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4551 et seq.), referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 91–616, Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1848, which is classified principally to chapter 60 (§ 4541 et seq.) of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 4541 of Title 42 and Tables. The Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), which was redesignated the Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act, is Pub. L. 92–255, Mar. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 65, which is classified principally to chapter 16 (§ 1101 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1101 of Title 21 and Tables. section 7332(b)(2)(C) of this title, referred to in subsec. (c), was formerly a reference to section 4132(b)(2)(C) of this title which was redesignated section 4132(b)(2)(D) by Pub. L. 100–322, title I, § 121(b)(2)(A),
May 20, 1988, 102 Stat. 502, and subsequently renumbered section 7332(b)(2)(D) by Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 401(a)(4)(A),
May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 221. The reference to section 4132(b)(2)(C) in subsec. (c) was amended to reflect the renumbering by Pub. L. 102–40 but not the redesignation by Pub. L. 100–322.

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–40, § 401(a)(4)(A), renumbered section 4134 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–40, § 403(a)(4), struck out “of this section” after “subsection (b)”. Pub. L. 102–40, § 403(a)(1), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(d)(1), substituted “7331” for “4131”, “7332” for “4132”, and “7333” for “4133”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–40, § 403(a)(4), struck out “of this section” after “subsection (a)” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–40, § 403(a)(1), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(d)(1), substituted “7331, 7332, and 7333” for “4131, 4132, and 4133” and “7332(b)(2)(C)” for “4132(b)(2)(C)”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–40, § 403(a)(1), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” in two places. 1988—Pub. L. 100–322 amended section generally, substituting provisions consisting of subsecs. (a) to (d) for former provisions consisting of subsecs. (a) and (b). 1982—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–295 substituted “Health and Human Services” for “Health, Education, and Welfare” wherever appearing, and substituted “the President (or the delegate of the President)” for “the Director of the Office of Drug Abuse Policy (or any successor authority)”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 7334

Title 38, Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110