(a) A physician or an advanced practice registered nurse who has primary responsibility for treating a veteran who believes he may have been exposed to Vietnam herbicides while serving in the armed forces of the United States, shall, at the request of the veteran, submit a report to the Department of Veterans Affairs. If there is no physician or advanced practice registered nurse having primary responsibility for treating the veteran, the hospital treating the veteran shall, at the request of the veteran, submit the report to the commission. Any report of a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse or a hospital shall include: (1) Any symptoms of exposure to a Vietnam herbicide; (2) diagnosis of the veteran; and (3) methods of treatment prescribed.
(b) The identity of a veteran about whom a report has been made under this section may not be disclosed unless the veteran consents to the disclosure. Any statistical information collected under this part shall be public information.
(c) Any physician, advanced practice registered nurse or hospital subject to this section who complies with the provisions of this section may not be held civilly or criminally liable for providing the information required by this section.
(P.A. 82-308, S. 5, 7; P.A. 87-543, S. 7, 9; P.A. 16-39, S. 55; 16-167, S. 38.)
History: P.A. 87-543 amended Subsec. (a) by changing reference from commission to department of veterans' affairs for consistency with statutory changes; P.A. 16-39 amended Subsec. (a) by adding references to advanced practice registered nurse and making a technical change and amended Subsec. (c) by adding reference to advanced practice registered nurse; P.A. 16-167 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “Department of Veterans' Affairs” with “Department of Veterans Affairs”, effective July 1, 2016.