2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART VII - Hospitals, Institutions and Health Programs (§§ 3001 — 3891) › Chapter 132A - Cancer Patients and Survivors’ Bill of Rights (§§ 3071 — 3080) › § 3075 - Advisory Board

(a) The Cancer Patient and Survivor Care and Treatment Advisory Board is hereby created to advise the Governor of Puerto Rico with regard to devising and implementing the public policy on cancer control and the rights of cancer patients, survivors, and their families. The Board shall be composed of individuals and public and private entities, representing the population affected by cancer, who shall have full voting rights, but no executive or administrative power of any kind. Their functions shall be to provide consulting and advisory services.
(b) The Advisory Board shall be composed of the Secretary of Health, who shall preside the same, the Executive Director of the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Healthcare Advocate, or their authorized representatives; a member who shall represent hospital institutions devoted to cancer treatment and research; one representative of the Puerto Rico Hematology and Oncology Association; one representative of the Puerto Rico Radiation Oncologists Association; one representative of the Oncology Nurses Association; one representative of the Puerto Rico Cancer Control Coalition, which groups most cancer coalitions of Puerto Rico; one member of the American Cancer Society, Puerto Rico Chapter; and one member who is known for his/her interest in cancer prevention, treatment, and awareness who shall represent the public interest.
(c) Responsibilities of the Board.—
(1) To intervene in any specific issue submitted for its consideration.
(2) To investigate and provide information about public or private practices that may be contrary to the best interests of cancer patients and survivors.
(3) To provide advice on legislation, healthcare services, clinical trials, and all types of scientific research, medications, health coverage, community education, discrimination, and rights related to the services provided by government agencies and private entities.
(4) To coordinate the implementation of its public policy with the Healthcare Plans Committee of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and the Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, established by §§ 417 et seq. of this title.
(d) The organizations’ representative shall be selected by such organizations and the representative of the public interest shall be appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico for a term of two (2) years. The Board shall be renewed every two (2) years. In the event a vacancy arises, the Governor shall appoint a new member to fill the same. If such vacant position belongs to an organization represented at the Board, such organization shall recommend the next person to be appointed who shall hold such position until the expiration of the term for which the member who caused the vacancy was appointed. The Secretary shall be empowered to remove any member of the Board from his/her office at any time if public interest so warrants.
(e) Members of the Advisory Board who are Government officials shall not receive any compensation, per diems, or payment of any kind.
(f) The Board shall adopt bylaws for its internal operations and, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, shall reach agreements by a majority vote of the members present. It shall meet at the will of the Secretary of Health, who shall be its Chair, and call for meetings at least six (6) times every year. The Chair shall be required to call a meeting whenever three fourths of its members so require in writing.
(g) The Board shall hold public hearings in connection with any issue under its consideration, at the request of the Chair or by agreement of the majority of the members, at least once every year or whenever public interest so justifies. Hearings shall follow the procedure established by the Board in its bylaws.
(h) The Board shall obtain from the Chair any information it may deem necessary and reasonable to carry out its duties; however, such information shall be confidential. The Board may refer to such information in its reports, which shall be rendered to the Chair, who shall then remit the same to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly with his/her views and recommendations on the legislative actions that should be adopted to address issues related to cancer patients and survivors.
History —Sep. 27, 2012, No. 275, § 6, eff. 180 days after Sept. 27, 2012.