42 U.S.C. § 300cc–18 — Development of model protocols for clinical care of infected individuals

(a) In general: (1) The Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH and after consulting the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, may give grants to public and nonprofit private groups to set up projects that develop model protocols for the clinical care of people infected with HIV — including treating and preventing HIV and related conditions in women. (2) The Secretary cannot give this grant unless (A) the applicant already provides comprehensive primary care, or (B) the applicant agrees to team up, through a cooperative arrangement, with an entity that does. (b) Requirement of provision of certain services: The Secretary cannot give a grant under (a) unless the applicant agrees that patients in the project will receive: (1) lab monitoring of their condition; (2) clinical treatment for HIV infection, including steps to prevent complications; (3) information and counseling about FDA-approved treatments, about treatments not yet FDA-approved, and about the reports the AIDS Research Advisory Committee issues under section 300cc–3(c)(2)(B); (4) support groups; and (5) information about, and referrals to, organizations that provide social support services. (c) Limitation on imposition of charges for services: The Secretary cannot give a grant under (a) unless the applicant agrees that, if it normally charges patients for these services, it will not charge anyone who cannot afford to pay. (d) Evaluation and reports: (1) The Secretary cannot give a grant under (a) unless the applicant agrees to send the Secretary (A) enough information to let others copy the model protocol elsewhere, and (B) whatever other reports the Secretary requires. (2) The Secretary must evaluate these projects and, every year, report to Congress describing them, including the evaluation findings and any recommendations for legislative or administrative changes. (e) Authorization of appropriations: Congress could appropriate whatever money was needed to carry out this section for fiscal years 1989 through 1991, and again for fiscal years 1994 through 1996.