---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 280n"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "280n"
heading: "National Parkinson’s Project"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/280n"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part W — Parkinson’s and Related Disorders"
---

# §280n. National Parkinson’s Project

- (a) **Definition of Parkinson’s—** In this section, the term “Parkinson’s” means—
  - (1) Parkinson’s disease; and
  - (2) all other neurodegenerative Parkinsonisms, including multiple system atrophy, corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Parkinson’s-related dementia.
- (b) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall carry out a national [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), to be known as the National Parkinson’s [Project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) (referred to in this section as the “[Project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2)”), to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure Parkinson’s.
- (c) **Activities carried out through Project—** In carrying out the [Project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall—
  - (1) create, maintain, and periodically update an integrated national plan to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure Parkinson’s, ameliorate symptoms, and slow or stop progression;
  - (2) carry out the annual assessment under [subsection (d)](#d);
  - (3) provide information, including—
    - (A) an estimate of the level of current Federal investment in preventing, diagnosing, treating, and curing Parkinson’s, ameliorating symptoms, and slowing or stopping progression; and
    - (B) if applicable, an estimate of the investment necessary to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure Parkinson’s, ameliorate symptoms, and slow or stop progression;
  - (4) coordinate research and [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) across all Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) related to Parkinson’s;
  - (5) encourage the development of safe and effective [treatments](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11), strategies, and other approaches to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure Parkinson’s, ameliorate symptoms, and slow or stop progression;
  - (6) improve the—
    - (A) early diagnosis of Parkinson’s; and
    - (B) coordination of the care and [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) of individuals with Parkinson’s;
  - (7) review the impact of Parkinson’s on the physical, mental, and social health of individuals living with Parkinson’s and their caregivers and families;
  - (8) coordinate with international bodies, to the extent possible, to integrate and inform the mission to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure Parkinson’s, ameliorate symptoms, and slow or stop progression globally; and
  - (9) to the extent practicable, collaborate with other entities to prevent duplication of existing research activities for related disorders.
- (d) **Annual assessment—** Not later than 24 months after July 2, 2024, and annually thereafter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall carry out an assessment of the Nation’s progress in preparing for, and responding to, the escalating burden of Parkinson’s, including—
  - (1) recommendations for priority actions based on the assessment;
  - (2) a description of any steps that are planned or have already been taken to implement such recommendations, including whether such recommendations can be implemented under existing law; and
  - (3) such other items as the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) determines appropriate.
- (e) **Advisory Council—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall establish and maintain an [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) on Parkinson’s Research, Care, and [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) (referred to in this section as the “[Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1)”) to advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) on Parkinson’s-related issues.
  - (2) **Membership—**
    - (A) **Federal members—** The [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) shall be comprised of experts, to be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), who collectively are from various backgrounds and perspectives, including at least one member from each of—
      - (i) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
      - (ii) the Administration on Community Living;
      - (iii) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a);
      - (iv) the National Institutes of Health;
      - (v) the [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for Healthcare Research and Quality;
      - (vi) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
      - (vii) the Food and [Drug](/usc/42/11851.md?p=4) Administration;
      - (viii) the National Science Foundation;
      - (ix) the Department of Defense;
      - (x) the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1);
      - (xi) the Office of Minority Health;
      - (xii) the Indian Health [Service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a);
      - (xiii) the Office of the [Surgeon General](/usc/42/201.md?p=b) of the Public Health [Service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a); and
      - (xiv) other relevant Federal departments and [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c).
    - (B) **Non-federal members—** In addition to the members listed in [subparagraph (A)](#e-2-A), the [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) shall include 10 expert members, to be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), who shall include representatives of minority communities, communities disproportionately affected by Parkinson’s, and communities underrepresented in Parkinson’s research, who shall each be from outside the Federal Government, and who shall include—
      - (i) 2 Parkinson’s patient advocates, at least 1 of whom is living with young-onset Parkinson’s;
      - (ii) 1 Parkinson’s family caregiver;
      - (iii) 1 [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1);
      - (iv) 2 biomedical researchers with Parkinson’s-related expertise in basic, translational, clinical, or [drug](/usc/42/11851.md?p=4) development science;
      - (v) 1 movement disorder specialist who treats Parkinson’s patients;
      - (vi) 1 dementia specialist who treats Parkinson’s patients; and
      - (vii) 2 representatives from [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations that have demonstrated experience in Parkinson’s-related research or Parkinson’s-related patient care and other [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a).
    - (C) **Representation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall ensure that the members of the [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) are collectively representative of [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), professions, individuals, and entities concerned with, or affected by, activities under this section.
  - (3) **Meetings—**
    - (A) **Frequency—** The [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) shall meet—
      - (i) at least once each quarter during the 2-year period beginning on the date on which the [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) is established; and
      - (ii) at the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c)’s discretion after such period.
    - (B) **Annual research meeting—** Not later than 24 months after July 2, 2024, and every year thereafter, the [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) shall convene a meeting of Federal and non-Federal organizations to discuss Parkinson’s research.
    - (C) **Open meetings—** The meetings under subparagraphs [(A)](#e-3-A) and [(B)](#e-3-B) shall be open to the public.
  - (4) **Annual report—** Not later than 18 months after July 2, 2024, and every year thereafter, the [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) shall provide to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) and Congress a report containing—
    - (A) a list of all federally-funded efforts in Parkinson’s research, prevention, diagnosis, [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11), clinical care, and institutional-, home-, and community-based [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) and the outcomes of such efforts;
    - (B) recommendations for priority actions to expand, eliminate, coordinate, refocus, streamline, or condense Federal [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) based on each [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)’s performance, mission, scope, and purpose;
    - (C) recommendations to—
      - (i) reduce the financial impact of Parkinson’s on families living with Parkinson’s;
      - (ii) improve health outcomes for, and the quality of life of, individuals living with Parkinson’s;
      - (iii) prevent Parkinson’s, ameliorate symptoms, and slow or stop progression;
      - (iv) improve the quality of care provided to [beneficiaries](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-2) with Parkinson’s who receive coverage through a federally-funded health care [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), such as the Medicare [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [[42 U.S.C. 1395](/usc/42/1395.md) et seq.] or the Medicaid [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under title XIX of such Act [[42 U.S.C. 1396](/usc/42/1396.md) et seq.];
      - (v) research the association between environmental triggers and Parkinson’s to help reduce exposure to potential triggers; and
      - (vi) research and better understand the underlying factors contributing to Parkinson’s;
    - (D) priority actions to improve all federally-funded efforts in Parkinson’s research, prevention, diagnosis, [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11), clinical care, and institutional-, home-, and community-based [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4);
    - (E) an evaluation of the implementation, including outcomes, of the national plan under [subsection (c)(1)](#c-1); and
    - (F) implementation steps to address the recommendations and priority actions under subparagraphs [(B)](#e-4-B), [(C)](#e-4-C), and [(D)](#e-4-D), based in part on the evaluation under [subparagraph (E)](#e-4-E).
  - (5) **Termination—** The [Advisory Council](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=1) shall terminate at the end of calendar year 2035.
- (f) **Information sharing—** Each Federal department and [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) that has information relating to Parkinson’s shall share such information with the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) consistent with the statutory obligations of such department or [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) regarding disclosure of information, as necessary to enable the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) to complete a report under [subsection (e)(4)](#e-4).
- (g) **Sunset—** The section shall cease to be effective at the end of calendar year 2035.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399OO, as added Pub. L. 118–66, § 2, July 2, 2024, 138 Stat. 1443.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(4)(C)(iv), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Titles XVIII and XIX of the Act are classified generally to subchapters XVIII (§ 1395 et seq.) and XIX (§ 1396 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of this title and Tables.