[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR73.6]

[Page 452-453]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
    CHAPTER I--PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                                SERVICES
 
PART 73_SELECT AGENTS AND TOXINS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 73.6  Exemptions from requirements under this part.

    (a) An entity is exempt from the provisions of this part, other than 
Sec. 73.14 (transfer), provided that all of the following apply:
    (1) The only activities conducted by the entity that are subject to 
this part concern select agents or toxins that are contained in 
specimens or in isolates from specimens presented for diagnosis, 
verification, or proficiency testing;
    (2) Upon identification of a select agent or toxin as the result of 
diagnosis or verification, the entity immediately reports to the HHS 
Secretary by telephone, facsimile, or e-mail in accordance with Sec. 
73.21 any of the following: Variola major virus (Smallpox virus) and 
Variola minor (Alastrim), Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Botulinum 
neurotoxins, Francisella tularensis, Ebola viruses, Marburg virus, Lassa 
fever virus, and South American Haemorrhagic Fever viruses (Junin, 
Machupo, Sabia, Flexal, Guanarito);
    (3) The entity reports as required under Federal, State, or local 
law, to appropriate authorities;
    (4) After the diagnosis, verification, or proficiency testing, the 
entity either transfers the specimens or isolates containing a select 
agent or toxin from the specimens to a facility eligible for receiving 
them under this part, or destroys them on-site by autoclaving, 
incineration, or by a sterilization or neutralization process sufficient 
to cause inactivation;
    (5) The entity transfers or destroys those select agents or toxins 
used for diagnosis or testing within seven days after identification, 
unless directed otherwise by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or 
other law enforcement entity after consultation with the HHS Secretary; 
and
    (6) The entity transfers or destroys those select agents or toxins 
used for proficiency testing within 90 days after receipt; and
    (7) The entity prepares a record of the identification and transfer 
or destruction on CDC Form 0.1318, submits the completed form to the HHS 
Secretary in accordance with Sec. 73.21 within seven days after 
identification, and maintains a copy of the record for a period of three 
years.
    (b) Unless the HHS Secretary issues an order to an entity making 
specific provisions of this part applicable to protect the public health 
and safety, products that are, bear, or contain listed select agents or 
toxins that are cleared, approved, licensed, or registered under any of 
the following laws, are exempt from the provisions of this part insofar 
as their use is only for the approved purpose and meets the requirements 
of such laws:
    (1) The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et 
seq.);
    (2) Section 351 of the Public Health Service Act pertaining to 
biological products (42 U.S.C. 262);
    (3) The Act commonly known as the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act (21 U.S.C. 
151-159); or
    (4) The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 
U.S.C. 136 et seq).

[[Page 453]]

    (c) The HHS Secretary may exempt from the requirements of this part 
on a case-by-case basis an investigational product that is, bears, or 
contains a select agent or toxin, when such product is being used in an 
investigation authorized under a Federal Act referred to in paragraph 
(b) of this section and additional regulation under this part is not 
necessary to protect public health and safety. To apply for an exemption 
an applicant must submit to the HHS Secretary in accordance with Sec. 
73.21 a completed CDC Form 0.1317 certifying that the product is being 
used in an investigation authorized under a Federal Act referred to in 
paragraph (b) of this section, and that additional regulation under this 
part is not necessary to protect public health and safety. The HHS 
Secretary shall make a determination regarding the application within 14 
calendar days after receipt, provided the application meets all of the 
requirements of this section and the application establishes that the 
investigation has been authorized under the cited Act. The HHS Secretary 
will provide a written decision granting the request, in whole or in 
part, or denying the request. The applicant must notify the HHS 
Secretary when an authorization for an investigation no longer exists. 
This exemption automatically ceases when such authorization is no longer 
in effect.
    (d) The HHS Secretary may temporarily exempt an entity from the 
requirements of this part, in whole or in part, based on a determination 
that the exemption is necessary to provide for the timely participation 
of the entity in response to a domestic or foreign public health 
emergency. With respect to the emergency involved, the exemption may not 
exceed 30 days, except that the HHS Secretary may grant one extension of 
an additional 30 days. To apply for an exemption or an extension of an 
exemption, an applicant must submit to the HHS Secretary in accordance 
with Sec. 73.21 a completed CDC Form 0.1317 establishing the need to 
provide for the timely participation of the entity in a response to a 
domestic or foreign public health emergency. The HHS Secretary will 
provide a written decision granting the request, in whole or in part, or 
denying the request.
    (e) Upon request of the USDA Secretary, after the USDA Secretary has 
granted an exemption under section 212(g)(1)(D) of the Agricultural 
Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 based on a finding that there is an 
agricultural emergency, the HHS Secretary may temporarily exempt an 
entity from the applicability of the requirements of this part, in whole 
or in part, to provide for the timely participation of the entity in 
response to the agricultural emergency. With respect to the emergency, 
the exemption under this part may not exceed 30 days, except that upon 
the request of the USDA Secretary, the HHS Secretary may grant one 
extension of an additional 30 days.