42 U.S.C. § 263a–3 — Accreditation organizations

(a) Within 2 years of October 24, 1992, the Secretary, through the Centers for Disease Control, must promulgate criteria and procedures for approving accreditation organizations to inspect and certify embryo laboratories. These procedures must require an organization to apply to the Secretary for approval. Once approved, an accreditation organization may be used by States running the certification program under section 263a–2 of this title to inspect and certify embryo laboratories, or may certify embryo laboratories directly in States that have not adopted such a certification program. (b) The criteria and procedures under subsection (a) must include requirements for submitting reports and keeping records that the Secretary or a State may require, and requirements for how inspections under section 263a–2(h) of this title are conducted. (c) The Secretary must evaluate the performance of each approved accreditation organization every year, partly by inspecting, under section 263a–2(i) of this title, enough of the embryo laboratories it accredited to allow a reasonable estimate of its performance, and partly by other means the Secretary determines appropriate. (d) If the Secretary revokes an accreditation organization's approval under section 263a–2(i)(3)(D) of this title after an evaluation under subsection (c), the certification of any embryo laboratory accredited by that organization continues in effect for 60 days after the laboratory is notified of the withdrawal of approval, except that the Secretary may extend that period for a laboratory if the Secretary determines it applied to another approved accreditation organization for certification in a timely manner after receiving the notice.