(a) The Oversight Committee shall establish Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committees for the purpose of conducting Peer Review of Grant Applications submitted to the Institute. Such Peer Review activities may include post award evaluation of Grant Progress Reports. The Chief Executive Officer, with approval by simple majority of the Oversight Committee, is responsible for appointing experts in the fields of Cancer Research, Prevention life science Product Development, and patient advocacy to serve as Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee members for terms designated by the Chief Executive Officer.
(b) The Chief Executive Officer may provisionally appoint an individual as a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member until such time that the individual can be considered for approval by the Oversight Committee. The provisional appointee may participate in the Peer Review Process prior to a vote of the Oversight Committee on the appointment so long as the appointment is considered at the next regular Oversight Committee meeting.
(c) A Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member is responsible for conducting Peer Review of the Grant Applications assigned to the individual member's Peer Review Panel.
(d) A Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member may receive an honorarium in accordance with the policy described in Chapter 701, §701.15 of this title (relating to the Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Honoraria Policy).
(e) A member of a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee is prohibited from attempting to use the committee member's official position to influence a decision to approve or award a grant or contract to the committee member's employer.
(f) A member of a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee must comply with the requirements set forth in Chapter 702 of this title (relating to Institute Standards on Ethics and Conflicts, Including the Acceptance of Gifts and Donations to the Institute) and Chapter 102, Texas Health and Safety Code.
(g) The Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member shall not provide professional services for compensation exceeding $5,000 to any Grant Applicant that was reviewed by the Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member's Peer Review Panel.
  (1) The term of this restriction is for a period of one year from the due date of the Grant Application or the effective date of the Grant Award, whichever is later, unless waived by a vote of the Oversight Committee.
  (2) For purposes of this restriction, "professional services" do not include those services for which an honorarium is paid; however, honoraria exceeding $5,000 paid to a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member by a Grant Applicant while the individual is serving as a Committee Member shall be reported within 30 days to the Institute's Chief Executive Officer.
  (3) Even if a payment to a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member is not otherwise prohibited, a Grant Recipient shall not pay a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member with Grant Award funds.
(h) An individual that serves as a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member may not concurrently serve on the Board of Directors or other governing board of a Grant Recipient or of a foundation or similar organization affiliated with the entity. This prohibition lasts so long as the Grant Recipient receives Grant Award funds or the Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member receives an honorarium from the Institute, whichever ends first.
(i) The Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member shall not use non-public Third-Party Information or knowledge of non-public decisions related to Grant Applicants, gained by virtue of the individual's participation in the Institute's Peer Review Process, to make an investment or take some other action resulting in a financial benefit to the individual or the individual's employer.
(j) A violation of any requirement of this section may result in the removal of the Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member from further participation in the Institute's Peer Review Process.
(k) The Institute shall provide on the Institute's Internet website a register of the individuals appointed as Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Members, including provisional members. The register may list the Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee members by Peer Review Panel. For the purpose of identifying undisclosed Conflicts of Interest, a Grant Applicant may be notified of the Peer Review Panel to which the Grant Application has been assigned.
(l) The Chief Executive Officer shall ensure that at least one Patient Advocate is appointed to each Peer Review Panel. To be considered for a Patient Advocate appointment by the Chief Executive Officer as a Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee Member, an applicant must:
  (1) Represent an organization or other community of people;
  (2) Demonstrate prior community involvement or other work on behalf of cancer patients;
  (3) Possess good communication and writing skills, including the ability to analyze information and make judgments with consideration of patient impact;
  (4) Express interest in and fundamental knowledge of the medical research process, including basic and translational scientific research and prevention concepts;
  (5) Reside outside of the state of Texas;
  (6) Have science-based training. This training requirement shall be considered fulfilled if the Patient Advocate has:
    (A) attended a science-based training program from the American Association for Cancer Research Survivor-Scientist Program, American Society of Clinical Oncology Research Review Sessions for Patient Advocates, Research Advocacy Network Advocate Institute or National Breast Cancer Coalition Project LEAD no more than three years prior to appointment to the Institute's Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee; or
    (B) participated in at least one full cycle of grant review conducted by the Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, Federal Drug Administration or Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute no more than three years prior to appointment to the Institute's Scientific Research and Prevention Programs Committee.
(m) An individual interested in a Patient Advocate appointment shall submit an application, in a format specified by the Institute that includes at least the following information:
  (1) Dates of service on a peer review panel within the past three years, or dates of attendance at advocate training programs within the past three years as documentation of the fulfillment of the science-based training program requirement;
  (2) Current resume or curriculum vitae;
  (3) A letter of recommendation from a community-based organization and a personal statement on advocacy and education if the applicant has attended a training program but not yet served on a peer review panel

Source Note: The provisions of this §703.5 adopted to be effective December 21, 2009, 34 TexReg 9213; amended to be effective March 2, 2014, 39 TexReg 1386; amended to be effective December 7, 2016, 41 TexReg 9527; amended to be effective June 8, 2017, 42 TexReg 2937