---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 3515b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "3515b"
heading: "Prohibition on funding certain experiments involving human participants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/3515b"
units:
  - "Chapter 43 — Department of Health and Human Services"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §3515b. Prohibition on funding certain experiments involving human participants


None of the funds appropriated by this Act or subsequent Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related [Agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) Appropriations Acts shall be used to pay for any research program or [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) or any program, [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), or course which is of an experimental nature, or any other activity involving human participants, which is determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) or a court of competent jurisdiction to present a danger to the physical, mental, or emotional well-being of a participant or subject of such program, [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), or course, without the written, informed consent of each participant or subject, or a participant’s parents or legal guardian, if such participant or subject is under eighteen years of age. The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall adopt appropriate regulations respecting this section.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–394, title II, § 211, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1812.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to this section were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:

Pub. L. 102–170, title II, § 211, Nov. 26, 1991, 105 Stat. 1127.

Pub. L. 101–517, title II, § 212, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2209.

Pub. L. 101–166, title II, § 215, Nov. 21, 1989, 103 Stat. 1178.