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Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
(a)Release of confidential information prohibited
It shall be unlawful for any member of an Institutional Animal Committee to release any confidential information of the research facility including any information that concerns or relates to--
(1) the trade secrets, processes, operations, style of work, or apparatus; or
(2) the identity, confidential statistical data, amount or source of any income, profits, losses, or expenditures,
of the research facility.
(b)Wrongful use of confidential information prohibited
It shall be unlawful for any member of such Committee--
(1) to use or attempt to use to his advantages; or
(2) to reveal to any other person,
any information which is entitled to protection as confidential information under subsection (a).
(c)Penalties
A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is punishable by--
(1) removal from such Committee; and
(2)(A) a fine of not more than $1,000 and imprisonment of not more than one year; or
(B) if such violation is willful, a fine of not more than $10,000 and imprisonment of not more than three years.
(d)Recovery of damages by injured person; costs; attorney's fee
Any person, including any research facility, injured in its business or property by reason of a violation of this section may recover all actual and consequential damages sustained by such person and the cost of the suit including a reasonable attorney's fee.
(e)Other rights and remedies
Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any other rights of a person injured in its business or property by reason of a violation of this section. Subsection (d) shall not be construed to limit the exercise of any such rights arising out of or relating to a violation of subsections (a) and (b).
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - 7 U.S.C. § 2157 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 7. Agriculture § 2157. Release of trade secrets - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/us/title-7-agriculture/7-usc-sect-2157/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.
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