LegalFix

Section 67e - Children Born With Congenital Anomaly, Birth Defect, Birth Injury or an Intellectual Disability; Reports

MA Gen L ch 111 § 67e (2019) (N/A)
Copy with citation
Copy as parenthetical citation

Section 67E. (a) Within 30 days after the diagnosis in the commonwealth of a congenital anomaly, birth defect or birth injury which may lead to an incapacity or disability, the physician making the diagnosis shall report the anomaly, defect or injury to the department on a form to be furnished by the department. The commissioner shall require the submission of such information on reported cases up to the age of 3 years as he considers necessary and appropriate for the prevention and early detection of such anomalies, defects and injuries. Authorized officials or agents of the department may abstract and record information that is required for reporting from the medical records of children under the age of 3 years and their parents. Before abstracting or recording any additional information from an individual's medical records, department officials shall obtain the approval of a duly constituted institutional review board that reviews and approves, and thereafter annually re-approves, a research protocol submitted to it by the department. The research protocol shall specify how such records shall be reviewed, how information from them shall be abstracted and reported, the exact information to be recorded, and how the information will be used, maintained and kept confidential. The department shall collect no more information than it considers necessary and appropriate in order to conduct epidemiological surveys and to develop appropriate preventative treatment and control measures.

(b) The contents of such reports, records and information shall be solely for the use of the department and such reports, records and information shall not be open to public inspection or constitute a public record. The commissioner may make such reports, records or information contained therein available to a researcher performing medical and scientific studies for the purpose of the reduction of morbidity and mortality in the commonwealth, so long as the commissioner and a duly constituted institutional review board first approves that study.

(c) Nothing in this section shall compel any individual to submit to medical or department examination, testing or supervision.

(d) The department shall make rules and regulations to implement this section.

(e) Within 30 days after the date of birth of any child with an intellectual disability, or within 30 days after any child has been diagnosed as having an intellectual disability, the physician making the diagnosis shall report, with the approval of the parents, the mental retardation to the department of developmental services for the purpose of having the department inform such parents of existing information and support services. The contents of this report shall be solely for the use as described in this subsection and shall not be open to public inspection or constitute a public record.

LegalFix

Copyright ©2024 LegalFix. All rights reserved. LegalFix is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and does not provide legal advice, services, or representation. The information on this website is an overview of the legal plans you can purchase—or that may be provided by your employer as an employee benefit or by your credit union or other membership group as a membership benefit.

LegalFix provides its members with easy access to affordable legal services through a network of independent law firms. LegalFix, its corporate entity, and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors do not provide legal advice, services, or representation—directly or indirectly.

The articles and information on the site are not legal advice and should not be relied upon—they are for information purposes only. You should become a LegalFix member to get legal services from one of our network law firms.

You should not disclose confidential or potentially incriminating information to LegalFix—you should only communicate such information to your network law firm.

The benefits and legal services described in the LegalFix legal plans are not always available in all states or with all plans. See the legal plan Benefit Overview and the more comprehensive legal plan contract during checkout for coverage details in your state.

Use of this website, the purchase of legal plans, and access to the LegalFix networks of law firms are subject to the LegalFix Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

We have updated our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures.