Bill Text: FL S0414 | 2011 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Prostate Cancer Awareness Program

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-06 - Read 2nd time -SJ 1119 [S0414 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-S0414-Comm_Sub.html

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       Florida Senate - 2011                              CS for SB 414
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Health Regulation; and Senator Oelrich
       
       
       
       
       588-01825-11                                           2011414c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Prostate Cancer Awareness
    3         Program; amending s. 381.911, F.S.; revising the
    4         structure and objectives of the Prostate Cancer
    5         Awareness Program; authorizing the University of
    6         Florida Prostate Disease Center, in collaboration with
    7         other organizations and institutions, to increase
    8         community education and public awareness of prostate
    9         cancer; requiring the University of Florida Prostate
   10         Disease Center to establish an advisory council to
   11         replace the existing advisory committee; providing for
   12         membership and duties of the advisory council;
   13         requiring an annual report to the Governor,
   14         Legislature, and State Surgeon General; providing an
   15         effective date.
   16  
   17         WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that prostate cancer is
   18  a major public health problem and that promoting awareness of
   19  this disease is in the public interest of this state, and
   20         WHEREAS, according to the Department of Health’s Florida
   21  Cancer Plan 2003-2006, prostate cancer was the most commonly
   22  diagnosed cancer in Florida, accounting for one in every four
   23  cancer diagnoses, and
   24         WHEREAS, the costs for screening, staging, and treating
   25  prostate cancer patients in both dollars and morbidity continue
   26  to rise and threaten the foundation of this state’s health
   27  system, and
   28         WHEREAS, because African-American men are 2.8 times more
   29  likely to succumb to prostate cancer than their Caucasian
   30  counterparts, a call for action is mandatory, and
   31         WHEREAS, there are currently no organized, active, or
   32  effective strategies to improve community education and
   33  awareness regarding the rising incidence of and the racial and
   34  ethnic disparities related to prostate cancer, and
   35         WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that it is in the public’s
   36  interest for state agencies and institutions to work with the
   37  University of Florida Prostate Disease Center to establish the
   38  prostate cancer task force to more effectively serve the needs
   39  of the people of Florida, NOW, THEREFORE,
   40  
   41  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   42  
   43         Section 1. Section 381.911, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   44  read:
   45         381.911 Prostate Cancer Awareness Program.—
   46         (1) To the extent that funds are specifically made
   47  available for this purpose, the Prostate Cancer Awareness
   48  Program is established within the Department of Health. The
   49  purpose of this program is to implement the recommendations of
   50  January 2000 of the Florida Prostate Cancer Task Force to
   51  provide for statewide outreach, promote prostate cancer
   52  awareness, communicate the advantages of early detection, report
   53  recent progress in prostate cancer research and the availability
   54  of clinical trials, minimize health disparities through outreach
   55  and education, communicate best practices principles to
   56  physicians involved in the care of prostate cancer patients, and
   57  establish a communication platform for patients and their
   58  advocates and health education activities to ensure that men are
   59  aware of and appropriately seek medical counseling for prostate
   60  cancer as an early-detection health care measure.
   61         (2) For purposes of implementing the program, the
   62  University of Florida Prostate Disease Center may work with
   63  other agencies, organizations, and institutions to create a
   64  systematic approach to community education and increase public
   65  awareness regarding prostate cancer by Department of Health and
   66  the Florida Public Health Institute, Inc., may:
   67         (a) Conducting Conduct activities directly or entering
   68  enter into a contract with a qualified nonprofit community
   69  education entities entity.
   70         (b) Seeking Seek any available gifts, grants, or funds from
   71  the state, the Federal Government, philanthropic foundations,
   72  and industry or business groups.
   73         (3) The University of Florida Prostate Disease Center
   74  (UFPDC) shall establish the UFPDC Prostate Cancer Advisory
   75  Council and lead the advisory council in developing and
   76  implementing strategies to improve outreach and education and
   77  thereby reduce the number of patients who develop prostate
   78  cancer. A prostate cancer advisory committee is created to
   79  advise and assist the Department of Health and the Florida
   80  Public Health Institute, Inc., in implementing the program.
   81         (a) The executive director of the University of Florida
   82  Prostate Disease Center shall appoint, in consultation with the
   83  Department of Health’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program and
   84  the State Surgeon General, a geographically and institutionally
   85  diverse advisory council, which shall appoint the advisory
   86  committee members, who shall consist of:
   87         1. Two Three persons from prostate cancer survivor groups
   88  or cancer-related advocacy groups.
   89         2. Four Three persons, one of whom is a physician licensed
   90  under chapter 458, one of whom is a physician licensed under
   91  chapter 459, one of whom is a scientist, and one of whom is the
   92  executive director of the University of Florida Prostate Disease
   93  Center or a designee who are scientists or clinicians from
   94  public universities or research organizations.
   95         3. Three persons who are engaged in the practice of a
   96  cancer-related medical specialty from health organizations
   97  committed to cancer research and control.
   98         (b) Members shall serve as volunteers without compensation
   99  but are entitled to reimbursement, pursuant to s. 112.061, for
  100  per diem and travel expenses incurred in the performance of
  101  their official duties.
  102         (c) Each member of the advisory council shall be appointed
  103  to a 4-year term; however, for the purpose of providing
  104  staggered terms, of the initial appointments, four members shall
  105  be appointed to 2-year terms and four members shall be appointed
  106  to 4-year terms. The remaining seat shall be filled by the
  107  executive director of the University of Florida Prostate Disease
  108  Center or a designee.
  109         (d) The advisory council shall meet annually and at other
  110  times at the call of the executive director of the University of
  111  Florida Prostate Disease Center or by a majority vote of the
  112  members of the advisory council.
  113         (e) Five of the members of the advisory council constitute
  114  a quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members
  115  present is required for final action.
  116         (f) The advisory council shall:
  117         1. Present prostate-cancer-related policy recommendations
  118  to the Department of Health and other appropriate governmental
  119  entities.
  120         2. Verify the accuracy of prostate cancer information
  121  disseminated to the public.
  122         3. Develop effective communication channels among all
  123  private and public entities in the state involved in prostate
  124  cancer education, research, treatment, and patient advocacy.
  125         4. Plan, develop, and implement activities designed to
  126  heighten awareness and educate residents of the state,
  127  especially those in underserved areas, regarding the importance
  128  of prostate cancer awareness.
  129         5. Disseminate information about recent progress in
  130  prostate cancer research and the availability of clinical
  131  trials.
  132         6. Minimize health disparities through outreach and
  133  education.
  134         7. Communicate best practices principles to physicians
  135  involved in the care of patients with prostate cancer.
  136         8. Establish a communication platform for patients and
  137  their advocates.
  138         9. Solicit grants or philanthropic funding to conduct an
  139  annual prostate cancer symposium that brings physicians,
  140  researchers, community leaders, prostate cancer survivors, and
  141  prostate cancer advocates together to highlight recent advances
  142  in prostate cancer research, clinical trials, and best practices
  143  used for the prevention of the prostate cancer and to promote
  144  strategies for successful rural and urban outreach, community
  145  education, and increased awareness.
  146         10. Submit and present an annual report to the Governor,
  147  the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
  148  Representatives, and the State Surgeon General by January 15,
  149  2012, and by January 15 of each following year, which contains
  150  recommendations for legislative changes necessary to decrease
  151  the incidence of prostate cancer, decrease racial and ethnic
  152  disparities among persons diagnosed with prostate cancer, and
  153  promote increased community education and awareness regarding
  154  this disease.
  155         (4) The program shall coordinate its efforts with those of
  156  the Florida Public Health Institute, Inc.
  157         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.