Statute of Bioethical Commission

Article 1

 

Introductory Provisions

 

(1)               The Bioethical Commission is an expert and advisory body to the Research and Development Council of the Government of the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to as the "Council").

(2)               The Bioethical Commission has been established by the Council as its expert group of specialists, under the Article 6 (8) of the Statute of the Council, approved by the Resolution of the Government no. 111 of February 22nd 1995.

(3)               The Bioethical Commission shall draw up for the Council source materials and documents for solving tasks related to bioethical aspects of research and development in the sphere of modern biology and medical science. It concern, in particular, moral and legal aspects of human genome research, genetically modified organisms, genetic tests and therapy, issues of experiments related to in vitro fertilization, transplantation of fetal tissue, xeno-transplantations, genome patents, and others.

 

Article 2

Constitution of the Bioethical Commission

(1)               The Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Council, Minister of the Government upon the proposal of the Council. Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission is a member of the Council.

(2)               The Bioethical Commission shall have fifteen members at a maximum, who shall be appointed or disengaged by the Chairperson of the Council upon the proposal of the Council.

(3)               Membership in the Bioethical Commission shall be voluntary.

 

Article 3

Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission

(1)               The Chairperson shall summon the Bioethical Commission sessions upon the proposal of the Council.

(2)               The Chairperson can be deputised by a member of the Council authorized by the Chairperson of the Council.

(3)               The Chairperson shall manage activities of the Bioethical Commission, he/she shall be responsible for fulfilling tasks assigned to the Bioethical Commission by the Council and hands on source materials and stimuli of the sphere of scope of responsibilities of the Bioethical Commission to the Council.

 

Article 4

Members of the Bioethical Commission

(1)               Members of the Bioethical Commission may not be represented by other person.

(2)               Members of the Bioethical Commission shall be obliged to take part in sessions of the Bioethical Commission and to be actively engaged in its activities.

(3)               In case a member cannot take part in a session because of serious reasons he/she shall be obliged to excuse from the session to the chairperson beforehand.

(4)               In case a member of the Bioethical Commission cannot work at Bioethical Commission for at least half a year, the Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission shall have a right to propose disengagement of the member to the Chairperson of the Council and to propose appointment a new one upon the proposal of the Council.

(5)               Members of the Bioethical Commission shall be obliged to hold information confident on tasks, which they fulfil and on sessions of the Bioethical Commission, unless otherwise provided by the Council.

 

Article 5

Activities of the Bioethical Commission

(1)               The Bioethical Commission shall be held as necessary, however at least twice a year.

(2)               The Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission shall be obliged to summon a session of the Bioethical Commission upon the request of the Council and at the date specified by the Council.

(3)               The Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission shall arrange the agenda of the Bioethical Commission's session. He/she shall be obliged to include a given issue to the agenda upon the approval of one third of the Bioethical Commission.

(4)               The Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission shall be obliged to inform the Council of the result of the Bioethical Commission's session.  

(5)               The agenda and materials for the session of the Bioethical Commission shall be sent out to its members at least five days prior to the relevant session.

(6)               The Bioethical Commission shall be attended by a quorum if the majority of its members are present. A resolution shall be adopted in case of majority votes of members. In case of equality of votes, it shall be the vote of the Chairperson or the vote of a person in chair, which shall be decisive.

(7)               Minutes shall be taken at every session of the Bioethical Commission that shall be approved by the Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission. The Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission shall hand over minutes, together with other relevant documents of the session of the Bioethical Commission to members of the Council at its session following to the session of the Bioethical Commission.

(8)               Also invited experts, following to the approval of the Chairperson, may participate in a session. Invited participants shall have not right to vote.

(9)               Sessions of the Bioethical Commission shall be held at the seat of the Office of the Government, unless otherwise provided by the Chairperson of the Bioethical Commission. 

(10)           The Bioethical Commission shall submit to the Council information on its activities once a year and as necessary information on the situation within its scope of responsibilities.

(11)           Activities of the Bioethical Commission shall be administratively and organizationally supported by the Secretariat of the Council.

(12)           Cost of activities of the Bioethical Commission and travel expenses of its members related to work at the Bioethical Commission shall be covered within institutional budgetary means for support of research and development allocated to the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic.

 

Article 6

The Statute of the Bioethical Commission shall approve the Chairperson of the Council upon the proposal of the Council.

 

Article 7

Final Provisions

This Statute has been approved by the Chairperson of the Council on October 6th 1997 and comes to effect on this date.

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