§ 242l — International Cooperation

(a) The Secretary may participate with other countries in cooperative endeavors in— (1) biomedical research, health care technology, and the health services research and statistical analysis authorized under section 242k of this title and subchapter VII; and (2) biomedical research, health care services, health care research, or other related activities in furtherance of the activities, objectives or goals authorized under the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008. (b) In connection with the cooperative endeavors authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary may— (1) make such use of resources offered by participating foreign countries as he may find necessary and appropriate; (2) establish and maintain fellowships in the United States and in participating foreign countries; (3) make grants to public institutions or agencies and to nonprofit private institutions or agencies in the United States and in participating foreign countries for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the fellowships authorized by paragraph (2); (4) make grants or loans of equipment and materials, for use by public or nonprofit private institutions or agencies, or by individuals, in participating foreign countries; (5) participate and otherwise cooperate in any international meetings, conferences, or other activities concerned with biomedical research, health services research, health statistics, or health care technology; (6) of title 5 for persons in the Government service employed intermittently; (7) procure, in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, the temporary or intermittent services of experts or consultants; (8) enter into contracts with individuals for the provision of services (as defined in section 104 of part 37 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations (48 CFR 37.104)) in participating foreign countries, which individuals may not be deemed employees of the United States for the purpose of any law administered by the Office of Personnel Management; (9) provide such funds by advance or reimbursement to the Secretary of State, as may be necessary, to pay the costs of acquisition, lease, construction, alteration, equipping, furnishing or management of facilities outside of the United States; and (10) in consultation with the Secretary of State, through grant or cooperative agreement, make funds available to public or nonprofit private institutions or agencies in foreign countries in which the Secretary is participating in activities described under subsection (a) to acquire, lease, construct, alter, or renovate facilities in those countries. (c) The Secretary may provide to personnel appointed or assigned by the Secretary to serve abroad, allowances and benefits similar to those provided under chapter 9 of title I of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4081 et seq.). Leaves of absence for personnel under this subsection shall be on the same basis as that provided under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5 or section 903 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4083) to individuals serving in the Foreign Service. (d) In carrying out immunization programs and other programs in developing countries for the prevention, treatment, and control of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in coordination with the Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally, the National Institutes of Health, national and local government, and other organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund, shall develop and implement effective strategies to improve injection safety, including eliminating unnecessary injections, promoting sterile injection practices and technologies, strengthening the procedures for proper needle and syringe disposal, and improving the education and information provided to the public and to health professionals.