{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-2525.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-2525.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-2525.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-2525.html"}],"law_id":57288,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57288,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2525","catch_line":"Unlawful disclosure of information; disciplinary action authorized; penalties","history":"2002, c. 481; 2011, cc. 812, 844; 2016, c. 309; 2020, cc. 1066, 1067; 2023, cc. 628, 629.","full_text":"A\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person having access to the confidential information in the possession of the program or any data or reports produced by the program to disclose such confidential information except as provided in this chapter. Any person having access to the confidential information in the possession of the program or any data or reports produced by the program who discloses such confidential information in violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor upon conviction.B\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person who lawfully receives confidential information from the Prescription Monitoring Program to redisclose or use such confidential information in any way other than the authorized purpose for which the request was made. Any person who lawfully receives information from the Prescription Monitoring Program and discloses such confidential information in violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor upon conviction.C\n\nNothing in this section shall prohibit (i) a person who prescribes or dispenses a covered substance to a recipient required to be reported to the program from redisclosing information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program to another prescriber or dispenser who has responsibility for treating the recipient or (ii) a person who prescribes a covered substance from placing information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program in the recipient’s medical record.D\n\nInformation obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program pursuant to subdivision B 7 of § 32.1-372 shall become part of the patient’s medical record.E\n\nUnauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information received from the Prescription Monitoring Program shall also be grounds for disciplinary action by the relevant health regulatory board.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":209833,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person having access to the confidential information in the possession of the program or any data or reports produced by the program to disclose such confidential information except as provided in this chapter. Any person having access to the confidential information in the possession of the program or any data or reports produced by the program who discloses such confidential information in violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor upon conviction.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":209834,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person who lawfully receives confidential information from the Prescription Monitoring Program to redisclose or use such confidential information in any way other than the authorized purpose for which the request was made. Any person who lawfully receives information from the Prescription Monitoring Program and discloses such confidential information in violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor upon conviction.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":209835,"text":"Nothing in this section shall prohibit (i) a person who prescribes or dispenses a covered substance to a recipient required to be reported to the program from redisclosing information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program to another prescriber or dispenser who has responsibility for treating the recipient or (ii) a person who prescribes a covered substance from placing information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program in the recipient’s medical record.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":209836,"text":"Information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program pursuant to subdivision B 7 of § 32.1-372 shall become part of the patient’s medical record.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":209837,"text":"Unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information received from the Prescription Monitoring Program shall also be grounds for disciplinary action by the relevant health regulatory board.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13315,"edition_id":1,"name":"Prescription Monitoring Program","identifier":"25.2","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12758,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:37","permalink":{"id":241371,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13315,"identifier":"25.2","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2","url":"\/54.1\/III\/25.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12758,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241105,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12758,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":68394,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2519","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-2519\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2519","metadata":false},{"id":55075,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2520","catch_line":"Program establishment; Director's regulatory authority","url":"\/54.1-2520\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2520","metadata":false},{"id":64843,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2521","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Reporting requirements","url":"\/54.1-2521\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2521","metadata":false},{"id":69685,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2522","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Reporting exemptions","url":"\/54.1-2522\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2522","metadata":false},{"id":72705,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2522.1","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2027) Requirements of practitioners","url":"\/54.1-2522.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2522.1","metadata":false},{"id":67799,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2522.2","catch_line":"Requirements for dispensers","url":"\/54.1-2522.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2522.2","metadata":false},{"id":56919,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2523","catch_line":"Confidentiality of data; disclosure of information; discretionary authority of Director","url":"\/54.1-2523\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2523","metadata":false},{"id":74465,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2523.1","catch_line":"Criteria for indicators of misuse; Director's authority to disclose information; intervention","url":"\/54.1-2523.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2523.1","metadata":false},{"id":56473,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2523.2","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2027) Authority to access database","url":"\/54.1-2523.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2523.2","metadata":false},{"id":57186,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2524","catch_line":"Immunity from liability","url":"\/54.1-2524\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2524","metadata":false},{"id":57288,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2525","catch_line":"Unlawful disclosure of information; disciplinary action authorized; penalties","url":"\/54.1-2525\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2525","metadata":false},{"id":54302,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2526","catch_line":"Exemption of information systems from provisions related to the Virginia Information Technologies Agency","url":"\/54.1-2526\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2526","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":57186,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2524","catch_line":"Immunity from liability","url":"\/54.1-2524\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2524","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":54302,"structure_id":13315,"section_number":"54.1-2526","catch_line":"Exemption of information systems from provisions related to the Virginia Information Technologies Agency","url":"\/54.1-2526\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2526","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-2525\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2002. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 481<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2011, chapters 812<\/a> and 844<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 309<\/a>; in 2020, chapters 1066<\/a> and 1067<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 628<\/a> and 629<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":75214,"section_number":"32.1-372","catch_line":"Smartchart Network Program established; purpose","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-372\/"}],"permalink":{"id":241413,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57288,"identifier":"54.1-2525","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2525","url":"\/54.1-2525\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-2525\/","token":"54.1\/III\/25.2\/54.1-2525","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unlawful disclosure of information; disciplinary action authorized; penalties","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-2525","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> It shall be unlawful for any person having access to the confidential information in the possession<\/span> of the program or any data or reports produced by the program to disclose such confidential information except as provided in this chapter. Any person having access to the confidential information in the possession<\/span> of the program or any data or reports produced by the program who discloses such confidential information in violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span> upon conviction<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> It shall be unlawful for any person who lawfully receives confidential information from the Prescription Monitoring Program to redisclose or use such confidential information in any way other than the authorized purpose for which the request was made. Any person who lawfully receives information from the Prescription Monitoring Program and discloses such confidential information in violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span> upon conviction<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Nothing in this section shall prohibit (i) a person who prescribes or dispenses<\/span> a covered substance<\/span> to a recipient<\/span> required to be reported to the program from redisclosing information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program to another prescriber<\/span> or dispenser<\/span> who has responsibility for treating the recipient<\/span> or (ii) a person who prescribes a covered substance<\/span> from placing information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program in the recipient<\/span>’s medical record. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program pursuant to subdivision B 7 of § 32.1-372<\/a> shall become part of the patient’s medical record. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information received from the Prescription Monitoring Program shall also be grounds for disciplinary action by the relevant health regulatory board<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNLAWFUL DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION; DISCIPLINARY ACTION AUTHORIZED; PENALTIES\n(\u00a7 54.1-2525)\n\nA. It shall be unlawful for any person having access to the confidential\ninformation in the possession of the program or any data or reports produced by\nthe program to disclose such confidential information except as provided in this\nchapter. Any person having access to the confidential information in the\npossession of the program or any data or reports produced by the program who\ndiscloses such confidential information in violation of this chapter shall be\nguilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor upon conviction.\n\nB. It shall be unlawful for any person who lawfully receives confidential\ninformation from the Prescription Monitoring Program to redisclose or use such\nconfidential information in any way other than the authorized purpose for which\nthe request was made. Any person who lawfully receives information from the\nPrescription Monitoring Program and discloses such confidential information in\nviolation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor upon\nconviction.\n\nC. Nothing in this section shall prohibit (i) a person who prescribes or\ndispenses a covered substance to a recipient required to be reported to the\nprogram from redisclosing information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring\nProgram to another prescriber or dispenser who has responsibility for treating\nthe recipient or (ii) a person who prescribes a covered substance from placing\ninformation obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program in the\nrecipient’s medical record.\n\nD. Information obtained from the Prescription Monitoring Program pursuant to\nsubdivision B 7 of § 32.1-372 shall become part of the patient’s\nmedical record.\n\nE. Unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information received from the\nPrescription Monitoring Program shall also be grounds for disciplinary action by\nthe relevant health regulatory board.\n\nHISTORY: 2002, c. 481; 2011, cc. 812, 844; 2016, c. 309; 2020, cc. 1066, 1067;\n2023, cc. 628, 629.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}