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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="20-113" title_number="20" title_name="Miscellaneous Health Provisions" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Consent Provisions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Before a physician treats any patient for any form of breast cancer, the physician shall educate the patient of alternative methods of treatment that may be medically practicable.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Maryland Department of Health shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Provide a standardized written summary in layman’s language that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Lists all effective methods of treatment for breast cancer that may be medically practicable including surgical, radiological, chemotherapeutic, and combinations of those treatments; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Describes the advantages, disadvantages, risks, and procedures associated with each method of treatment listed;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Update the standardized written summary annually; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Distribute the standardized written summary to each hospital, clinic, and physician’s office and other facility that performs treatments of breast cancer.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A physician satisfies the requirements of subsection (a) of this section if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The physician provides a breast cancer patient with the standardized written summary described in subsection (b) of this section in language that the patient understands;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The patient receives the standardized written summary within 5 days of the start of the treatment for breast cancer; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The patient signs a statement provided by the Maryland Department of Health acknowledging the receipt of the standardized written summary.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>This section does not apply if the attending physician certifies that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Treatment for breast cancer occurred within 5 days of the physician informing the patient of the diagnosis; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Treatment within this period of time was necessary to save the life of the patient.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A physician who violates any provision of subsection (a) of this section is subject to the provisions of § 14–404(a)(27) of the Health Occupations Article.</text>
  </level>
</section>
