CS/HB 137

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

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