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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§247b–19 Information and Education

Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter II— GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES › Part B— Federal-State Cooperation › § 247b–19

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must set up a program to give information and education about muscular dystrophy to health professionals and the public. The program must share new facts about diagnosing and treating muscular dystrophy and offer training and continuing education for scientists, doctors, medical students, and other health workers who care for people with muscular dystrophy. The Secretary can use program money to pay small stipends to health professionals who are in the training programs. The Secretary can work with patient community leaders and professional groups to create, review, update, and widely share care guidance for Duchenne-Becker and other kinds of muscular dystrophy, including care for children, adults, and acute situations, and must include strategies that respond to the national transitions survey of minority, young adult, and adult patient communities. Congress may appropriate whatever funds are needed to run the program.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §247b–19

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

(a)The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as the “Secretary”) shall establish and implement a program to provide information and education on muscular dystrophy to health professionals and the general public, including information and education on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of muscular dystrophy and training and continuing education through programs for scientists, physicians, medical students, and other health professionals who provide care for patients with muscular dystrophy.
(b)The Secretary may use amounts made available under this section provides 11 So in original. Probably should be “to provide”. stipends for health professionals who are enrolled in training programs under this section.
(c)In carrying out this section, the Secretary may—
(1)partner with leaders in the muscular dystrophy patient community;
(2)cooperate with professional organizations and the patient community in the development and issuance of care considerations for pediatric and adult patients, including acute care considerations, for Duchenne-Becker muscular dystrophy, and various other forms of muscular dystrophy, and in periodic review and updates, as appropriate;
(3)in developing and updating care considerations under paragraph (2), incorporate strategies specifically responding to the findings of the national transitions survey of minority, young adult, and adult communities of muscular dystrophy patients; and
(4)widely disseminate the Duchenne-Becker muscular dystrophy and various other forms of muscular dystrophy care considerations as broadly as possible, including through partnership opportunities with the muscular dystrophy patient community.
(d)There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 107–84, Dec. 18, 2001, 115 Stat. 823, known as the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research and Education

Amendments

of 2001 and also as the MD–CARE Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 2001 Amendment note set out under section 201 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research and Education

Amendments

of 2001, also known as the MD–CARE Act, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2014—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 113–166, § 4(1), inserted “for pediatric and adult patients, including acute care considerations,” after “issuance of care considerations” and “various” before “other forms of muscular dystrophy” and struck out “and” at end. Subsec. (c)(3), (4). Pub. L. 113–166, § 4(2)–(4), added par. (3), redesignated former par. (3) as (4), and, in par. (4), inserted “various” before “other forms of muscular dystrophy”. 2008—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 110–361 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 247b–19

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60