Title 38

SECTION 1.478

1.478 Disclosures to prevent multiple enrollments in detoxification and maintenance treatment programs; not applicable to records relating to sickle cell anemia or infection with the human immunodeficiency virus.

§ 1.478 Disclosures to prevent multiple enrollments in detoxification and maintenance treatment programs; not applicable to records relating to sickle cell anemia or infection with the human immunodeficiency virus.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Central registry means an organization which obtains from two or more member programs patient identifying information about individuals applying for maintenance treatment or detoxification treatment for the purpose of avoiding an individual's concurrent enrollment in more than one program.

(2) Detoxification treatment means the dispensing of a narcotic drug in decreasing doses to an individual in order to reduce or eliminate adverse physiological or psychological effects incident to withdrawal from the sustained use of a narcotic drug.

(3) Maintenance treatment means the dispensing of a narcotic drug in the treatment of an individual for dependence upon heroin or other morphine-like drugs.

(4) Member program means a non-VA detoxification treatment or maintenance treatment program which reports patient identifying information to a central registry and which is in the same State as that central registry or is not more than 125 miles from any border of the State in which the central registry is located.

(b) Restrictions on disclosure. VA may disclose patient records to a central registry which is located in the same State or is not more than 125 miles from any border of the State or to any non-VA detoxification or maintenance treatment program not more than 200 miles away for the purpose of preventing the multiple enrollment of a patient only if:

(1) The disclosure is made when:

(i) The patient is accepted for treatment;

(ii) The type or dosage of the drug is changed; or

(iii) The treatment is interrupted, resumed or terminated.

(2) The disclosure is limited to:

(i) Patient identifying information;

(ii) Type and dosage of the drug; and

(iii) Relevant dates.

(3) The disclosure is made with the patient's written consent meeting the requirements of § 1.475 of this part, except that:

(i) The consent must list the name and address of each central registry and each known non-VA detoxification or maintenance treatment program to which a disclosure will be made; and

(ii) The consent may authorize a disclosure to any non-VA detoxification or maintenance treatment program established within 200 miles after the consent is given without naming any such program.

(c) Use of information limited to prevention of multiple enrollments. A central registry and any non-VA detoxification or maintenance treatment program to which information is disclosed to prevent multiple enrollments may not redisclose or use patient identifying information for any purpose other than the prevention of multiple enrollments unless authorized by a court order under §§ 1.490 through 1.499 of this part.

[60 FR 63929, Dec. 13, 1995, as amended at 85 FR 64043, Oct. 9, 2020]

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