Section 141-C:27 Ethics Committee.
I. There is hereby established an ethics committee to offer advice to the commissioner relative to the ethical issues that may be identified in the course of planning for, and responding to, outbreaks of communicable disease that threaten to become epidemic or pandemic.
II. The committee shall consider the ethical implications of any of the powers that may be exercised by the commissioner under the provisions of this chapter including, but not limited to, the confiscation, distribution, and rationing of anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents, and mechanical equipment; the issuance and enforcement of orders of isolation, quarantine, medical examination, and medical treatment; issues relative to information sharing and confidentiality; and the provisions for due process for orders issued pursuant to this chapter.
III. The members of the committee shall be as follows:
(a) The director of the division of public health services.
(b) The state epidemiologist.
(c) The attorney general, or designee.
(d) A representative of a public health network, appointed by the commissioner.
(e) A representative from a college or university public health program, appointed by the commissioner.
(f) A chief of police or a police officer of a local police department, appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police.
(g) A chief of a local fire department, appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Fire Chiefs.
(h) A physician, licensed under RSA 329, appointed by the New Hampshire Medical Society.
(i) The commissioner of the department of safety, or designee.
(j) A member of a fire department with a minimum of EMT-B certification, appointed by the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire.
(k) A representative of a hospital, appointed by the New Hampshire Hospital Association.
(l) A county representative, appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Counties.
IV. The commissioner shall appoint a member of the committee to act as chairperson. The committee shall meet initially within 30 days of the effective date of this section and then as regularly as the chairperson shall direct.
V. The commissioner may at any time direct questions to the committee or request guidance on ethical issues.
VI. The committee shall be solely advisory in nature and any guidance, guidelines, or protocols issued by the committee shall not be binding on the commissioner.
Source. 2008, 336:4, eff. July 7, 2008.