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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 11, 2014 10:29 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Mike Brubaker |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Prostate Cancer Task Force |
| On September 16th I plan to introduce legislation to create the Prostate Cancer Task Force. Prostate cancer has similar incidence and mortality numbers as breast cancer and with 1 in 6 men diagnosed, it is the most common type of cancer detected in Pennsylvania men. In the past year, over 10,240 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and an additional four men will die from this terrible disease every day, adding up to almost 1,300 men per year. Poor prostate health can greatly diminish a man’s quality of life yet men’s health issues rarely make headlines, are almost never part of the public health policy discussion, and need a louder voice for health literacy. The intent of the legislation is to provide the public with information and education to create greater public awareness of the prevalence of and measures available to detect, diagnose and treat prostate cancer and related chronic prostate conditions. It is also intended to ensure that: (1) Medical professionals, insurers, patients and governmental agencies are educated about screening, diagnosis and treatment options; (2) Medical professionals provide patients with sufficient information about treatment options to enable patients to make an informed choice as part of informed consent and to respect the autonomy of choice; and (3) Pennsylvania government agencies provide unbiased information regarding multiple standards of care. The legislation directs the Department of Health to establish a 19-member task force on prostate cancer and related chronic prostate conditions to investigate and make recommendations. Within one year of its first meeting, the task force will issue a report with recommendations to the Secretary of Health and submit copies of the report to the Public Health and Welfare Committee of the Senate and the Health Committee of the House of Representatives. The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performance of their duties, similar to other task forces in the Commonwealth. If you have any questions regarding this legislation, please contact my Legislative Director, Stephanie Buchanan, at 717-787-4420 or sbuchanan@pasen.gov. |
Introduced as SB1479