Sec. 17. (a) The evidence in written form to be considered by the medical review panel shall be promptly submitted by the respective parties.
(b) The evidence may consist of medical charts, x-rays, lab tests, excerpts of treatises, depositions of witnesses including parties, and any other form of evidence allowable by the medical review panel.
(c) Depositions of parties and witnesses may be taken before the convening of the panel.
(d) The chairman shall ensure that before the panel gives its expert opinion under section 22 of this chapter, each panel member has the opportunity to review every item of evidence submitted by the parties.
(e) Before considering any evidence or deliberating with other panel members, each member of the medical review panel shall take an oath in writing on a form provided by the panel chairman, which must read as follows:
"I (swear) (affirm) under penalties of perjury that I will well and truly consider the evidence submitted by the parties; that I will render my opinion without bias, based upon the evidence submitted by the parties, and that I have not and will not communicate with any party or representative of a party before rendering my opinion, except as authorized by law.".