State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Connecticut > Title19a > Chap368a > Sec19a-32g

      Sec. 19a-32g. Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee established. Additional members. Members deemed public officials. Duties. (a)(1) There is established a Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee. The committee shall consist of five members appointed by the Commissioner of Public Health. All members appointed to the committee shall (A) have demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the ethical and medical implications of embryonic and human adult stem cell research or related research fields, including, but not limited to, embryology, genetics or cellular biology, (B) have practical research experience in human adult or embryonic stem cell research or related research fields, including, but not limited to, embryology, genetics or cellular biology, and (C) work to advance embryonic and human adult stem cell research. Members shall serve for a term of four years commencing on October first, except that three members first appointed by the Commissioner of Public Health shall serve for a term of two years. No member may serve for more than two consecutive four-year terms and no member may serve concurrently on the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee established pursuant to section 19a-32f. All initial appointments to the committee shall be made by October 1, 2005. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from the committee.

      (2) On and after July 1, 2007, the Commissioner of Public Health may appoint such additional members to the Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee as the commissioner deems necessary for the review of applications for grants-in-aid, provided the total number of Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee members does not exceed fifteen. Such additional members shall be appointed as provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection, except that such additional members shall serve for a term of two years from the date of appointment.

      (b) All members shall be deemed public officials and shall adhere to the code of ethics for public officials set forth in chapter 10. No member shall participate in the affairs of the committee with respect to the review or consideration of any grant-in-aid application filed by such member or by any eligible institution in which such member has a financial interest, or with which such member engages in any business, employment, transaction or professional activity.

      (c) Prior to the awarding of any grants-in-aid for embryonic or human adult stem cell research pursuant to section 19a-32e, the Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee shall review all applications submitted by eligible institutions for such grants-in-aid and make recommendations to the Commissioner of Public Health and the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee established pursuant to section 19a-32f with respect to the ethical and scientific merit of each application.

      (d) The Peer Review Committee shall establish guidelines for the rating and scoring of such applications by the Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee.

      (e) All members of the committee shall become and remain fully cognizant of the National Academies' Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, as amended from time to time, and shall utilize said guidelines to evaluate each grant-in-aid application. The committee may make recommendations to the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee and the Commissioner of Public Health concerning the adoption of said guidelines, in whole or in part, in the form of regulations adopted pursuant to chapter 54.

      (P.A. 05-149, S. 4; P.A. 06-196, S. 209; P.A. 07-252, S. 40; P.A. 08-80, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 05-149 effective June 15, 2005; P.A. 06-196, made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 07-252 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1), redesignating existing Subdivs. (1), (2) and (3) as Subparas. (A), (B) and (C), respectively, and adding new Subdiv. (2) authorizing Commissioner of Public Health to appoint additional members to Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee, provided total membership does not exceed 15, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 08-80 amended Subsec. (e) to require that Academies' Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research be utilized to evaluate each grant-in-aid application and to make technical changes.