1) Definitions
A) Experimental procedures - means the use of
medical, surgical, manipulative, or psychiatric procedures, drugs, or devices
for purposes of diagnosis or treatment of human subjects who are inpatients or
outpatients of a hospital and who are subjects at risk.
B) Research program - means any organized
activity intended to establish new medical or scientific information, involving
medical, surgical, manipulative, or psychiatric diagnosis or treatment of human
subjects who are inpatients or outpatients of a hospital and who are subjects
at risk.
C) Subject at risk - means
any individual who may be exposed to the possibility of injury, including
physical, psychological, or social injury, as a consequence of participation as
a subject in any research, development, or related activity that significantly
departs from the application of those established and accepted methods
necessary to meet the individual's needs, or that increases the ordinary risks
of daily life, including the recognized risks inherent in a chosen occupation
or field of service. (See
45
CFR
46.103(b).)
2) Entitlement to Conduct Research Programs
and/or Experimental Procedures. A licensed hospital may conduct research
programs and/or experimental procedures if the hospital meets any of the
following:
A) The hospital is formally
affiliated with, or is part of, a school whose graduates are eligible for
examination for licensing pursuant to statutes, rules and regulations
administered by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and
whose graduates, if licensed, are eligible for admission to the medical staff,
provided that the research programs and/or experimental procedures are
conducted on a service or within a department of the hospital that is within
the scope of the formal affiliation. Documentation of that affiliation shall be
available for inspection by the Department upon reasonable request.
B) The hospital is conducting, or proposing
to conduct, programs subject to the provisions of
45 CFR
46.101, or pursuant to the provisions of
Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations. Documentation of approval of the
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for these research
programs and/or experimental procedures shall be available for inspection by
the Department upon reasonable request.
C) The hospital has an Institutional Review
Committee and has complied with all requirements specified in subsection
(b)(4).
3) Approval to
Conduct Research Programs and/or Experimental Procedures
A) Hospitals that meet the requirements of
subsection (b)(2)(A) or (b)(2)(B) may conduct approved research
programs.
B) Hospitals that do not
meet the requirements of subsection (b)(2)(A) or (b)(2)(B) shall have an
Institutional Review Committee as described in subsection (b)(4).
4) Use of Institutional Review
Committee to Approve Research Programs and/or Experimental Procedures
A) The Committee shall be composed of not
fewer than five persons with varying backgrounds to assure complete and
adequate review of activities commonly conducted by the institution. The
Committee shall be sufficiently qualified through the maturity, experience, and
expertise of its members and the diversity of its membership to ensure respect
for its advice and counsel for safeguarding the rights and welfare of human
subjects.
B) In addition to
possessing the professional competence necessary to review specific activities,
the Committee shall be able to ascertain the acceptability of applications and
proposals in terms of institutional commitments and regulations, applicable
law, standards of professional conduct and practice, and community attitudes.
The Committee shall therefore include persons whose concerns are in these
areas. No member of a Committee shall be involved in either the initial or
continuing review of an activity in which the member has a conflicting
interest, except to provide information requested by the Committee. No
Committee shall consist entirely of persons who are officers, employees, or
agents of, or are otherwise associated with, the institution, apart from their
membership on the Committee. No Committee shall consist entirely of members of
a single professional group. The quorum of the Committee shall be defined, but
shall not be less than a majority of the total membership, duly convened to
carry out the Committee's responsibilities.
C) The Institutional Review Committee shall
develop a set of implementation guidelines, including identification of the
Committee and a written description of its review procedures. At a minimum, the
review procedures shall provide for informed consent, which shall include
provision to the individual of an explanation of any procedures that are
experimental, a description of any discomforts and risks to be expected,
alternative procedures that might be advantageous, answers to any inquiries
concerning the procedures, and the opportunity to withdraw the individuals
consent and discontinue in the project at any time without prejudice.
D) The Institutional Review Committee shall
review all applications for research programs and/or experimental procedures
within a hospital and prepare a written report, following the implementation
requirements in subsection (b)(4)(C), to be given to the applicant on the
acceptance or rejection of the program. A copy of this report shall also be
sent to the Department within 30 days after completion of the written report.
In addition, minutes covering all activities shall be prepared and made
available to the Department. Complete copies of the minutes and reports shall
be presented to the hospital's governing authority. Records shall be retained
for three years.
E) If the
Department finds that the public interest, safety or welfare requires emergency
action, the Director, after appropriate medical consultation and guidance, may
issue to the applicant a notice not to proceed with or continue (if initiated)
the research program and/or experimental procedure that is the subject of the
application. The Director shall then obtain further information and
clarification regarding the research program and/or experimental procedure that
is the subject of the application and make a final decision to approve or to
disapprove the identified program and/or procedure.
F) Failure to establish an Institutional
Review Committee and/or failure to utilize the Institutional Review Committee
shall be considered a violation of the Hospital Licensing Act.