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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74620</law_id><section_number>54.1-2964</section_number><catch_line>Disclosure of interest in referral facilities and clinical laboratories</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>54.1-2914</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="29">Medicine and Other Healing Arts</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="6">General Standards of Practice</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any practitioner of the <span class="dictionary">healing arts</span> shall, prior to referral of a patient to any facility or entity engaged in the provision of health-related services, appliances or devices, including but not limited to physical therapy, <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> testing, or sale or fitting of <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> aids or eyeglasses provide the patient with a notice in bold print that discloses any known <span class="dictionary">material</span> financial interest of or ownership by the practitioner in such facility or entity and states that the services, appliances or devices may be available from other suppliers in the community. In making any such referral, the practitioner of the <span class="dictionary">healing arts</span> may render such recommendations as he considers appropriate, but shall advise the patient of his freedom of choice in the selection of such facility or entity. This section shall not be construed to permit any of the practices prohibited in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Sale of controlled substances and medical devices or appliances; requirements for vision care services" href="/54.1-2914/">54.1-2914</a> or Chapter 24.1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/54.1-2410/">54.1-2410</a> et seq.) of this title.
			In addition, any practitioner of the <span class="dictionary">healing arts</span> shall, prior to ordering any medical test from an independent clinical laboratory for a patient, provide the patient with notice in bold print that discloses any known <span class="dictionary">material</span> financial interest or ownership by the practitioner in such laboratory unless the independent clinical laboratory is operated by a publicly held corporation. The practitioner shall inform the patient about the accreditation status and credentials of the laboratory. <a id="paragraph-268187" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2964/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span>, an attorney of the Commonwealth, the attorney for a city, county or town, or any aggrieved patient may cause an action to be brought in the appropriate <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> in the name of the Commonwealth, of the county, city or town, or of any aggrieved patient, to enjoin any violation of this section. The <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> may enjoin such violations, notwithstanding the existence of an adequate remedy at <span class="dictionary">law</span>. When an <span class="dictionary">injunction</span> is issued, the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> may impose a civil fine to be paid to the Literary Fund not to exceed $1,000. In any action under this section, it shall not be necessary that <span class="dictionary">damages</span> be proven. <a id="paragraph-268188" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2964/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1986, c. 348, &#xA7; 54-278.3; 1988, cc. 765, 874; 1989, c. 282; 1993, c. 869.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
