---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1073e"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1073e"
heading: "Protection of armed forces from infectious diseases"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1073e"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 55 — Medical and Dental Care"
---

# §1073e. Protection of armed forces from infectious diseases

- (a) **Protection.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall develop and implement a plan to ensure that the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) have the diagnostic equipment, testing capabilities, and personal protective equipment necessary to protect members of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) from the threat of infectious diseases and to treat members who contract infectious diseases.
- (b) **Requirements.—** In carrying out [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall ensure the following:
  - (1) Each [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) medical treatment [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) has the testing capabilities described in such subsection, as appropriate for the mission of the [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2).
  - (2) Each deployed naval vessel has access to the testing capabilities described in such subsection.
  - (3) Members of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) deployed in support of a [contingency operation](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-13) outside of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) have access to the testing capabilities described in such subsection, including at field hospitals, combat support hospitals, field medical stations, and expeditionary medical [facilities](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2).
  - (4) The [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense maintains—
    - (A) a 30-day supply of personal protective equipment in a quantity sufficient for each member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4), including the [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [components](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) thereof; and
    - (B) the capability to rapidly resupply such equipment.
- (c) **Research and Development.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall include with the defense budget materials (as defined by [section 231(f)](/usc/10/231.md?p=f)[^1] of this title) for a fiscal year a plan to research and develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for infectious diseases.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) shall ensure that the medical laboratories of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense are equipped with the technology needed to facilitate rapid research and development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics in the case of a pandemic.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title VII, § 712(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3691.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 231(f) of this title, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), was redesignated as section 231(g) of this title by Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title III, § 352(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2533, and subsequently was redesignated as section 231(h) of this title by Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title X, § 1021(1), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2052.