6. Expert Panels

6.01 Formation

The CoE Chairperson may form an advisory Expert Panel to provide additional expertise and perform an assigned task for a particular Expert Committee or Expert Committees. The CoE Chairperson shall appoint the members of the Expert Panel, who may be removed by the CoE Chairperson at any time. USP will seek the most qualified experts on a particular topic, and will work to assure broad and diverse membership. At least one member of the Expert Committee to which the Expert Panel reports shall be a member of the Expert Panel. Any Expert Committee member that becomes a member of an Expert Panel or participates at an Expert Panel meeting may do so only as a representative of USP. An Expert Panel will continue until its assigned task has been completed or until dissolved by the CoE Chairperson.

6.02 Chairperson, Charge & Scope

The CoE Chairperson shall appoint, and may remove at any time, the chairperson of an Expert Panel.  The CoE Chairperson shall provide an Expert Panel with a specific charge, including scope of work (advisory only), deliverables, and timelines for completion of work, and dissolve such Expert Panel at the conclusion of the specified work.

6.03 Reporting Requirements

The chairperson of the Expert Panel shall report on its progress as needed or as requested by the Expert Committee chairperson or the CoE Chairperson. The Expert Panel shall issue advisory recommendations to the Expert Committee upon the completion of its task, which shall be accompanied by a disclosure of Conflicts of Interest information identified under Section 6.05(a) below. Expert Panel members will strive to reach consensus on their compendial topic and are expected to complete their task within the specified timeframe, but are not required to achieve unanimity. Dissenting views of Expert Panel members may be expressed in writing and accompany the Expert Panel’s advisory recommendations to the Expert Committee.

6.04 Joint Expert Panels

A Joint Expert Panel advisory to two or more Expert Committees may be established. However, the CoE Chairperson shall designate a lead Expert Committee responsible for the oversight of such Joint Expert Panel. In selecting members of a Joint Expert Panel and appointing a Chairperson, the CoE Chairperson shall consider the advice of the chairs of each involved Expert Committee. The formation, charge and reporting for the Joint Expert Panel shall be the responsibility of the lead Expert Committee.

6.05 Conflict of Interest & Confidentiality

1. Conflicts. Conflicts of Interest, as defined in Section 2.03, will not be a bar to participation on an Expert Panel or in any deliberations or recommendations of the Expert Panel, including voting, provided the Expert Panel member timely and adequately discloses any Conflict of Interest as required by Sections 2.03, 2.04 and 2.05 of these Rules to other members of the Expert Panel including the chairperson.
2. Confidentiality. Expert Panel members are not necessarily obligated to maintain confidentiality of materials obtained and issues discussed during the course of the panel’s task. However, confidentiality may be required in certain instances as identified by the Expert Panel Chairperson and USP staff including, but not limited to, protecting third party confidentiality obligations, preventing the premature disclosure of a standard, or maintaining the confidentiality of proprietary, business, or trade secret information.