SJR25

A Joint Resolution establishing the New Jersey Pharmacogenomics Commission.

Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. There is established the New Jersey Pharmacogenomics Commission. The commission shall be responsible for examining pharmacogenomics, which is the study of the relationship between a person’s specific genetic makeup and the effectiveness or toxicity of medications used to treat any health-care related issue. The commission’s examination shall include, but shall not be limited to:

(1) costs related to pharmacogenomic testing currently and in the future;

(2) how implementing pharmacogenomics may benefit prescribers, patients, and the State;

(3) various applications for pharmacogenomics outside of medicine, such as the opioid crisis and others;

(4) the relationship between pharmacogenics applications in personalized medicine;

(5) the results of previous studies on prescribing medicines and treatments based on pharmacogenomic science;

(6) methods of educating patients and prescribers on prescribing medicine and treatment based on genetic makeup;

(7) the relationship of pharmacogenomics in the reduction of the number of deaths, disabilities, and hospitalization from adverse drug events; and

(8) the expected costs and benefits from implementing pharamcogenomics in the short-term and long-term.

b. The commission shall consist of 13 members, to be appointed by the Governor as follows: a representative from the Department of Health; a representative from the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury; a representative from Rutgers Medical School who is a physician; a representative from Rutgers School of Pharmacy; a representative from Fairleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; a representative from the New Jersey Hospital Association; a representative from the Medical of Society New Jersey; a representative from the New Jersey Pharmacists Association; a representative from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; a representative from BioNJ; a representative from the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University who is a physician, a representative from the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University who is a physician; and a professor of genetics.

The Governor shall appoint representatives from the Department of Health, the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Rutgers Medical School, Rutgers School of Pharmacy, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, and the professor of genetics. The President of the Senate shall appoint representatives from BioNJ, the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, and the New Jersey Pharmacists Association. The Speaker of the General Assembly shall appoint representatives from the Medical of Society New Jersey, Fairleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy, and New Jersey Hospital Association. The Minority Leader of the Senate shall recommend the appointment of the representative from BioNJ. The Minority Leader of the General Assembly shall recommend the appointment of the representative from the Medical of Society New Jersey.

c. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled as provided for the original appointments.

d. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson from among the members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.

e. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the commission within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.

f. The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

g. The Department of Health shall provide staff support to the commission.

h. (1) No later than six months after organization, the commission shall hold at least two public hearings, one each in northern New Jersey and southern New Jersey.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, “northern New Jersey” means Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties; and “southern New Jersey” means Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, and Salem counties.

i. No later than six months after organization, the commission shall submit to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a report of its findings and recommendations for legislative, executive, or any other action as may be appropriate. The commission shall expire upon submission of its report.

2. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This joint resolution establishes the New Jersey Pharmacogenomics Commission (commission). Under the resolution, the commission is to be responsible for examining pharmacogenomics, which is the study of the relationship between a person’s specific genetic makeup and the effectiveness or toxicity of medications used to treat any health-care related issue. The commission’s examination is to include, but is not to be limited to: (1) costs related to pharmacogenomic testing currently and in the future; (2) how implementing pharmacogenomics may benefit prescribers, patients, and the State; (3) various applications for pharmacogenomics outside of medicine, such as the opioid crisis and others; (4) the relationship between pharmacogenomics applications in personalized medicine; (5) the results of previous studies on prescribing medicines and treatments based on pharmacogenomic science; (6) methods of educating patients and prescribers on prescribing medicine and treatment based on genetic makeup; (7) the relationship of pharmacogenomics in the reduction of the number of deaths, disabilities, and hospitalization from adverse drug events; and (8) the expected costs and benefits from implementing pharmacogenomics in the short-term and long-term.

The commission is to consist of 13 members, to be appointed by the Governor as follows: a representative from the Department of Health; a representative from the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury; a representative from Rutgers Medical School who is a physician; a representative from Rutgers School of Pharmacy; a representative from Fairleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; a representative from the New Jersey Hospital Association; a representative from the Medical of Society New Jersey; a representative from the New Jersey Pharmacists Association; a representative from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; a representative from BioNJ; a representative from the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University who is a physician; a representative from the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University who is a physician; and a professor of genetics.

The Governor is to appoint representatives from the Department of Health, the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Rutgers Medical School, Rutgers School of Pharmacy, the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, and the professor of genetics. The President of the Senate is to appoint representatives from BioNJ, the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, and the New Jersey Pharmacists Association. The Speaker of the General Assembly is to appoint representatives from the Medical of Society New Jersey, Fairleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy, and New Jersey Hospital Association. The Minority Leader of the Senate is to recommend the appointment of the representative from BioNJ. The Minority Leader of the General Assembly is to recommend the appointment of the representative from the Medical of Society New Jersey.

The resolution provides that, no later than six months after organization, the commission is to hold at least two public hearings, one each in northern New Jersey and southern New Jersey, and to issue a report of its findings to the Governor and the Legislature, including recommendations for legislative, executive, or any other actions, as may be appropriate. The commission will expire upon submission of the report.