HB 1373

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Prostate Cancer Awareness Program;
3	amending s. 381.911, F.S.; revising the structure and
4	objectives of the Prostate Cancer Awareness Program within
5	the Department of Health; revising the purpose of the
6	program; revising requirements for program implementation;
7	requiring the department and the University of Florida
8	Prostate Disease Center to establish the University of
9	Florida Prostate Disease Center Prostate Cancer Task Force
10	to replace the Prostate Cancer Advisory Committee;
11	providing for the appointment of task force members by the
12	State Surgeon General upon specified recommendations;
13	providing for terms of members; providing for meetings and
14	duties; requiring an annual report to the Governor, the
15	Legislature, and the State Surgeon General; removing a
16	provision requiring the program to coordinate efforts with
17	the Florida Public Health Institute, Inc.; providing an
18	effective date.
19
20	WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that prostate cancer is
21	a major public health problem and that promoting awareness of
22	this disease is in the public interest of this state, and
23	WHEREAS, according to the Department of Health's Florida
24	Cancer Plan 2003-2006, prostate cancer was the most commonly
25	diagnosed cancer in Florida, accounting for one in every four
26	cancer diagnoses, and
27	WHEREAS, the costs for screening, staging, and treating
28	prostate cancer patients in both dollars and morbidity continue
29	to rise, which threatens the foundation of this state's health
30	system, and
31	WHEREAS, because African-American men are 2.8 times more
32	likely to succumb to prostate cancer than their white
33	counterparts, a call for action is mandatory, and
34	WHEREAS, there are currently no organized, active, or
35	effective mechanisms in Florida to mitigate the incidence, lack
36	of community education and awareness, racial and ethnic
37	disparities, and rising burdens of prostate cancer, and
38	WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that it is a public
39	necessity to work with the University of Florida Prostate
40	Disease Center to establish the University of Florida Prostate
41	Disease Center Prostate Cancer Task Force and to make changes to
42	the Prostate Cancer Awareness Program in order to more
43	effectively serve the needs of the people of Florida, NOW,
44	THEREFORE,
45
46	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
47
48	Section 1.  Section 381.911, Florida Statutes, is amended
49	to read:
50	381.911  Prostate Cancer Awareness Program.-
51	(1)  To the extent that funds are specifically made
52	available for this purpose, the Prostate Cancer Awareness
53	Program is established within the Department of Health. The
54	purpose of this program is to:
55	(a)  Meet and exceed implement the recommendations offered
56	in of January 2000 by of the Florida Prostate Cancer Task Force.
57	(b)  to Provide for statewide outreach to promote prostate
58	cancer awareness.
59	(c)  Communicate the advantages of early detection.
60	(d)  Report recent progress in prostate cancer research and
61	the availability of clinical trials.
62	(e)  Minimize health disparities through outreach,
63	education, and screening events.
64	(f)  Communicate best practice principles to physicians
65	involved in the care of prostate cancer patients.
66	(g)  Establish a communication platform for patients and
67	their advocates and health education activities to ensure that
68	men are aware of and appropriately seek medical counseling for
69	prostate cancer as an early-detection health care measure.
70	(2)  For purposes of implementing the program, the
71	Department of Health and the University of Florida Prostate
72	Disease Center may work with other organizations and
73	institutions to create a systemic focus on increasing community
74	education and awareness about prostate cancer by Florida Public
75	Health Institute, Inc., may:
76	(a)  Conducting Conduct activities directly or entering
77	enter into contracts a contract with a qualified nonprofit
78	community education entities entity.
79	(b)  Seeking Seek any available gifts, grants, or funds
80	from the state, the Federal Government, philanthropic
81	foundations, and industry or business groups.
82	(3)  The University of Florida Prostate Disease Center
83	shall collaborate with the Department of Health to establish the
84	University of Florida Prostate Disease Center Prostate Cancer
85	Task Force and lead the task force in developing and
86	implementing strategies to improve early detection and,
87	consequently, reduce the number of patients succumbing to
88	prostate cancer. A Prostate Cancer Advisory committee is created
89	to advise and assist the Department of Health and the Florida
90	Public Health Institute, Inc., in implementing the program.
91	(a)  The State Surgeon General shall appoint, upon
92	recommendation of the Executive Director of the University of
93	Florida Prostate Disease Center in consultation with the
94	Department of Health's Comprehensive Cancer Control Program and
95	the Florida Cancer Control Program, geographically and
96	institutionally diverse task force the advisory committee
97	members, who shall consist of:
98	1.  Two Three persons from prostate cancer survivor groups
99	or cancer-related advocacy groups.
100	2.  Three persons who are scientists or clinicians from in-
101	state public universities or community practitioners who are
102	known experts in prostate cancer care, research, or education
103	research organizations.
104	3.  Three persons who are engaged in the practice of a
105	cancer-related medical specialty from health organizations
106	committed to cancer research and control.
107	4.  The Executive Director of the University of Florida
108	Prostate Disease Center or his or her designee.
109	(b)  Members shall serve without compensation but are
110	entitled to reimbursement, pursuant to s. 112.061, for per diem
111	and travel expenses incurred in the performance of their
112	official duties.
113	(c)  Each member of the task force shall be appointed to a
114	4-year term, except that the Executive Director of the
115	University of Florida Prostate Disease Center or his or her
116	designee shall serve as a permanent member of the task force.
117	For the purpose of providing staggered terms, of the initial
118	appointments, four members shall be appointed to 2-year terms
119	and four members shall be appointed to 4-year terms. A member of
120	the council may be removed at any time by the State Surgeon
121	General, who shall appoint a replacement upon the recommendation
122	of the Executive Director of the University of Florida Prostate
123	Disease Center in consultation with other task force members and
124	the Department of Health's designated subcommittees.
125	(d)  The task force shall meet twice a year and at other
126	times upon the call of the Executive Director of the University
127	of Florida Prostate Disease Center or a majority of the task
128	force members.
129	(e)  Five members of the task force shall constitute a
130	quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members
131	present is required for final action.
132	(f)  The task force shall:
133	1.  Present prostate cancer-related policy recommendations
134	to the Department of Health and other appropriate governmental
135	entities.
136	2.  Verify the accuracy of prostate cancer information
137	disseminated to the public.
138	3.  Develop effective communication channels among all
139	private and public entities across the state that are involved
140	in prostate cancer education, research, treatment, and patient
141	advocacy.
142	4.  Plan, develop, and implement activities designed to
143	heighten awareness and educate residents of this state,
144	especially residents in underserved areas, regarding the
145	importance of early detection and effective treatment options
146	for prostate cancer.
147	5.  Disseminate information on recent progress in prostate
148	cancer research and the availability of clinical trials.
149	6.  Minimize health disparities through outreach,
150	education, and screening events.
151	7.  Communicate best practice principles to physicians
152	involved in the care of prostate cancer patients.
153	8.  Establish a communication platform for patients and
154	their advocates.
155	9.  Conduct an annual prostate cancer symposium that brings
156	physicians, researchers, community leaders, prostate cancer
157	survivors, and prostate cancer advocates together to highlight
158	recent advances in prostate cancer research, clinical trials,
159	and best practices in the prevention of the disease and to
160	promote strategies for successful rural and urban outreach,
161	community education, and increased awareness.
162	10.  Submit and present an annual report to the Governor,
163	the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
164	Representatives, and the State Surgeon General by January 15,
165	beginning in 2011, that contains recommendations for legislative
166	changes necessary to decrease the incidence of prostate cancer,
167	decrease racial and ethnic disparities, and promote increased
168	community education and awareness.
169	(4)  The program shall coordinate its efforts with those of
170	the Florida Public Health Institute, Inc.
171	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.