# Law No. 7217 of September 19, 1984

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105650561](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105650561)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-7217-of-september-19-1984

## Summary
Law No. 7217 of September 19, 1984, is a Brazilian federal statute that amends Article 4 of Law 6.932 of July 7, 1981, specifically regulating the activities of medical residents. Enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President João Figueiredo, this legislation addresses legal norms concerning warranty, connection, and social security within the medical residency framework. It serves as a formal written document creating statutory law applicable throughout the Brazilian jurisdiction.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 7217, de 19 de setembro de 1984.
- **Publication Date:** September 19, 1984.
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil.
- **Legal Classification:** Statute (a formal written document creating law).
- **Primary Function:** Alters the wording of Article 4 of Law 6.932 (July 7, 1981), which governs medical resident activities.
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Promulgating Authority:** João Figueiredo (serving as President at the time of promulgation).
- **Main Subjects:** Warranty (Garantia), Connection (Vinculação), Change (Alteração), Legal Norm (Normas), and Social Security (Previdencia Social).
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies to the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Official Citation:** Lei nº 7217/1984.
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-09-19;7217.
- **Digital Access URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7217.htm.
- **Source Reference:** Data verified via LexML Brazil and the Presidency of the Republic legislative portal.

## FAQs
**What specific legal change did Law No. 7217/1984 enact?**
This law specifically modified the text of Article 4 within the existing Law 6.932 of 1981. The amendment focused on refining the regulations that dictate the professional activities and status of medical residents in Brazil.

**Who was responsible for enacting this statute?**
The law was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. At the time of its enactment on September 19, 1984, the executive authority was held by President João Figueiredo.

**What are the primary thematic areas covered by this legislation?**
The statute addresses several core legal concepts including warranty, connection, and the specific alteration of previous norms. It also explicitly incorporates provisions related to social security (Previdencia Social) as they pertain to medical residency programs.

**Where can the official text of this law be accessed?**
The full text is available in Brazilian Portuguese through the official government portal at the Planalto website. It is also indexed in the LexML Brazil system under the unique identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-09-19;7217.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 7217/1984 is a critical component of Brazil's healthcare regulatory framework, as it directly governs the operational parameters for medical residents. By amending the foundational Law 6.932, it ensures that the legal definitions of warranty, connection, and social security benefits for these medical professionals remain current and enforceable. This legislation provides the necessary legal certainty for hospitals and medical schools to structure residency programs while protecting the rights of the residents themselves. Without such specific statutory amendments, the administration of medical training and the associated social security obligations could lack a clear legal basis, potentially impacting the quality of healthcare training and the welfare of medical staff.

## Notable For
- **Specific Legislative Amendment:** It is the definitive legal instrument that altered Article 4 of the 1981 law regarding medical residents.
- **Executive Promulgation:** It stands as a formal act of the Presidency under João Figueiredo during the final years of the military regime in Brazil.
- **Subject Matter Focus:** It uniquely combines general legal norms with specific social security provisions tailored to the medical residency sector.
- **Digital Preservation:** The law is fully digitized and accessible via the LexML Brazil project, ensuring long-term public access to the text.
- **Jurisdictional Scope:** It applies exclusively to the federal jurisdiction of Brazil, influencing medical education and labor laws nationwide.

## Body

### Legislative Identity and Classification
Law No. 7217 is formally classified as a **statute**, defined as a formal written document that creates law. In the context of the Brazilian legal system, it functions as an instance of statutory law, serving as the concrete manifestation of legal rules enacted by the government. The document is written in **Brazilian Portuguese** and is recognized as a "legal norm" within the broader taxonomy of written works and documents. Its official citation is **Lei nº 7217/1984**, and it is cataloged with the unique LexML Brazil identifier **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-09-19;7217**. This identifier ensures the law can be precisely referenced in legal databases and academic research.

### Historical Context and Enactment
The statute was enacted during a pivotal period in Brazilian history, specifically on **September 19, 1984**. The law was approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** and promulgated by **João Figueiredo**, who was the President of Brazil at that time. The place of publication was **Brasília**, the federal capital. The enactment followed the standard legislative process where draft laws are transformed into binding statutes through the act of legislation. The law was published in the official gazette and subsequently made available through the Presidency's legislative portal, ensuring its immediate effect and public accessibility.

### Subject Matter and Legal Scope
The primary purpose of Law No. 7217 is to amend **Article 4 of Law 6.932**, which was originally passed on July 7, 1981. Law 6.932 is the foundational statute that "dispõe sobre as atividades do medico-residente" (provides for the activities of the medical resident). The 1984 amendment specifically targets the **warranty** (Garantia), **connection** (Vinculação), and **change** (Alteração) aspects of these activities. Furthermore, the law explicitly integrates **social security** (Previdencia Social) considerations, ensuring that medical residents are covered under the appropriate social security frameworks. These main subjects define the operational boundaries and rights of medical residents within the Brazilian healthcare system.

### Jurisdiction and Applicability
This statute applies to the entire **Federative Republic of Brazil**. As a federal law, it supersedes local regulations regarding the specific matters it addresses, creating a unified standard for medical residency activities across all states and municipalities. The law's jurisdiction is strictly limited to the national territory of Brazil, and its provisions are binding on all federal, state, and municipal entities involved in medical education and healthcare delivery. The language of the work is exclusively **Brazilian Portuguese**, which is the official language of the country and the required language for all federal legislation.

### Digital Availability and Authority Control
The text of Law No. 7217 is preserved and accessible through multiple digital channels. The primary source for the official text is the **Planalto website** (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7217.htm), which hosts the civil code and federal laws of Brazil. Additionally, the law is indexed in the **LexML Brazil** project, a government initiative to standardize legal metadata. The LexML identifier **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-09-19;7217** serves as a persistent link to the document. The data regarding this law has been referenced and verified by sources such as the Presidency's legislative portal (legislacao.presidencia.gov.br) and the LexML database, with reference dates recorded as early as January 28, 2021, and February 17, 2021.

### Relationship to Preceding Legislation
Law No. 7217 is inextricably linked to **Law 6.932 of July 7, 1981**. It does not create a new regulatory framework from scratch but rather modifies the existing one. By altering Article 4 of the 1981 law, it updates the rules governing medical residents to reflect changes in the healthcare environment or administrative needs of the time. This relationship highlights the iterative nature of statutory law, where new statutes often serve to refine, correct, or expand upon previous legislative acts. The amendment process ensures that the legal definition of a "medical resident" and their associated rights remain relevant and effective.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-09-19;7217)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7217&ano=1984&data=19/09/1984&ato=1b6ITVU9EeBpWT50b)
3. LexML Brasil