| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to biomedical research; providing |
| 3 | legislative intent to support the development of FDA- |
| 4 | recognized botanical drugs from a patented complex that |
| 5 | enhances the effects of vaccines, helps suppress cancerous |
| 6 | tumors, and improves the functioning of the human immune |
| 7 | system; summarizing testing procedures; providing an |
| 8 | appropriation; providing an effective date. |
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| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 11 |
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| 12 | Section 1. Support of biomedical research; legislative |
| 13 | intent; clinical trials of PPC; procedures.-- |
| 14 | (1) The Legislature declares its intent to support |
| 15 | biomedical research conducted in this state by an independent |
| 16 | biomedical organization for the purpose of combating chronic and |
| 17 | infectious diseases and gaining a better understanding of the |
| 18 | human immune system. Beginning in the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the |
| 19 | Legislature will carry out that goal by funding the development |
| 20 | of botanical drugs that are recognized by the federal Food and |
| 21 | Drug Administration and derived from a polyphenylypropenoid |
| 22 | polysaccharide complex (PPC), a complex produced from pine cones |
| 23 | which has been developed and patented by such an entity. |
| 24 | Research completed to date has shown that this complex is |
| 25 | capable of enhancing the immune system so that vaccines and |
| 26 | chemotherapy work more effectively to suppress tumor growth, |
| 27 | fight infections, and improve immune function in the aged. |
| 28 | (2) The procedures necessary to develop the botanical |
| 29 | drugs will entail laboratory research as well as clinical |
| 30 | trials, each of which has a duration of at least 1 fiscal year |
| 31 | and covers several areas of study, including cancer research, |
| 32 | autoimmune diseases, anti-aging research, and infectious |
| 33 | diseases. |
| 34 | Section 2. The sum of $15 million, or 1 percent of all |
| 35 | fines imposed by the Department of Health as set forth in s. |
| 36 | 499.066(3), Florida Statutes, against pharmaceutical companies |
| 37 | for failure to comply with ss. 499.001-499.081, Florida |
| 38 | Statutes, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to an |
| 39 | independent biomedical organization in this state as described |
| 40 | in this act for the purpose of developing botanical drugs from a |
| 41 | polyphenylypropenoid polysaccharide complex (PPC). |
| 42 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |