Initial Review Group
Charter Summary

42 U.S.C. 284(c)(3), Section 405(c)(3) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. The Initial Review Group is governed by the provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.

STRUCTURE

Members, the Chair, and the Chairs of the subcommittees shall be selected by the Director, NCI, from authorities knowledgeable in the various disciplines and fields related to scientific areas relevant to carcinogenesis, cancer biology and diagnosis, cancer center administration, medicine, radiological and surgical oncology, cancer chemotherapy, cancer epidemiology, cancer prevention and control, cancer education, cancer information services, community outreach, biological, chemical and physical carcinogenesis, DNA repair and effects, tumor biology and immunology, humoral and cellular immunity, hematopoiesis, cell differentiation and transformation, oncogenes and growth factors, molecular and structural biology and genetic regulation, viral oncology, vaccine development, transplantation, chemotherapy, clinical trial design, management and evaluation, pharmacology, drug development and developmental therapeutics, genetic and immunotherapies, pathology, diagnostic research and cytogenetics, biological response modifiers, imaging, nutrition, survey research, epidemiology, biostatistics, rehabilitation, psychology and behavioral medicine, public health and community oncology, quality of life, pain management, cancer detection and diagnosis, cancer treatment and restorative care, dentistry, nursing, public health, education of health professionals, medical oncology, surgery, radiotherapy, gynecologic oncology, pediatric oncology, and pathology.

Members shall be invited to serve for overlapping terms of up to four years; the term for a member who is to serve as Chair may include a fifth year.

As necessary, standing and ad hoc subcommittees of the Initial Review Group, composed of members from the parent committee, may be established to perform specific functions within the Initial Review Group's jurisdiction. The Department Committee Management Officer shall be notified upon establishment of each standing subcommittee and shall be provided information on its name, membership, function, and estimated frequency of meetings.

The Chairs of each subcommittee shall be designated as co-Chairs for the Initial Review Group as a whole and upon approval by the subcommittee Chair, the advice of the subcommittee shall be considered the advice of the Committee.
A member of one subcommittee may serve as a voting member of other subcommittees when that member's expertise is required. However, that member shall not be counted in determining the presence of a quorum.

The permanent membership of this committee may be supplemented at any meeting through temporary members who, because of their scientific expertise, are appointed to review some or all of the applications considered at that meeting. Notification to the prospective temporary member from the Designated Federal Official that the individual is to attend the meeting shall constitute a temporary appointment to the committee for purposes of that meeting, and the individual shall have all the rights and obligations of committee membership at that meeting, including the right to vote on recommendations in which the individual fully participated as a reviewer. Temporary members will be included in the tracking of reviewers with respect to geographical distribution and ethnic and gender representation to ensure that appropriate balance of members' perspectives may be maintained. Temporary members shall not count toward a quorum.
 

FUNCTION

The Initial Review Group shall advise the Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Director, Division of Extramural Activities, NCI, on the scientific and technical merit of applications for grants for research, research training, or research-related grants and cooperative agreements, or contract proposals relating to scientific areas relevant to carcinogenesis, cancer biology and diagnosis, cancer center administration, medicine, radiological and surgical oncology, cancer chemotherapy, cancer epidemiology, cancer prevention and control, cancer education, cancer information services, community outreach, cancer detection and diagnosis, cancer treatment and restorative care, dentistry, nursing, public health, nutrition, education of health professionals, medical oncology, surgery, radiotherapy, gynecologic oncology, pediatric oncology, pathology, and biostatistics.

The members shall survey, as scientific leaders, the status of research and research training in their fields.

As necessary, the Initial Review Group and its subcommittees may call upon special consultants; assemble ad hoc working groups; and convene conferences, workshops, or other activities.

MEETINGS

The full Initial Review Group shall meet in plenary session, as necessary, as called by the Chair with advance approval of a Government official, who shall approve the agenda.

Meetings of the subcommittees will be held approximately three times a year at the call of the Chair, with the advance approval of a Government official who shall also approve the agenda. A Government official shall be present at all meetings of the Initial Review Group and of the subcommittees.

Meetings shall be open to the public unless determined otherwise by the Secretary or other official to whom the authority has been delegated; notice of all meetings shall be given to the public.

Meetings shall be conducted and records of the proceedings kept as required by applicable laws and departmental procedures.