1Establishing a task force on prostate cancer and related chronic
2prostate conditions; and providing for powers and duties of
3the task force, the Department of Health, the Insurance
4Department, the Department of Aging, the Department of
5Welfare, prevention and education strategies.

6The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7hereby enacts as follows:

8Section 1. Short title.

9This act shall be known and may be cited as the Prostate
10Cancer Surveillance, Education, Detection and Treatment Act.

11Section 2. Findings.

12The General Assembly finds that:

13(1) In Pennsylvania, prostate cancer is the most common
14type of cancer diagnosed in men.

15(2) African-American men are 61% more likely than
16Caucasian men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and twice
17as likely to die from it.

18(3) One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate

1cancer in his lifetime.

2(4) In 2011, approximately 10,240 men were diagnosed
3with prostate cancer in Pennsylvania. In that same year,
4nearly 1,300 men died from prostate cancer.

5(5) As of 2014, Pennsylvania does not provide or
6disseminate prostate cancer information as part of a public
7health campaign or message.

8(6) Currently a lack of consensus regarding prostate
9cancer screening guidelines creates an environment of
10confusion leading to inconsistent screening rates across this
11Commonwealth.

12(7) When diagnosed at an early stage, prostate cancer
13survival rates are very high.

14Section 3. Legislative intent.

15It is the intent of the General Assembly:

16(1) To provide the public with information and education
17to create greater public awareness of the prevalence of and
18measures available to detect, diagnose and treat prostate
19cancer and related chronic prostate conditions.

20(2) To ensure that:

21(i) Medical professionals, insurers, patients and
22governmental agencies are educated about risk factors and
23screening guidelines.

24(ii) Medical professionals provide patients with
25sufficient information about treatment options to enable
26patients to make an informed choice as part of informed
27consent and to respect the autonomy of that choice.

28(iii) Pennsylvania government agencies provide
29unbiased information regarding screening, diagnosis and
30treatment options.

1(iv) Uniform screening guidelines are established
2for prostate cancer in Pennsylvania.

3Section 4. Definitions.

4The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
5have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
6context clearly indicates otherwise:

7"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.

8"Health care professional." A licensed physician, a
9physician's assistant, a certified registered nurse practitioner
10or other licensed health care professional.

11"Prostate cancer." Cancer that forms in tissues of the
12prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system found below
13the bladder and in front of the rectum.

14"Related chronic prostate condition." Prostatitis, which is
15inflammation of the prostate, sometimes caused by infection. In
16some cases, it is treated with antibiotics. An enlarged prostate
17is also called benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH. Prostate
18growth affects virtually all men 50 years of age or older.
19Symptoms of difficult urination tend to increase with age.
20Medicines or surgery can treat BPH. The term does not include
21prostate cancer.

22"Secretary." The Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth.

23"State officials." The term includes the Secretary of
24Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth.

25"Task force." The task force established by this act.

26Section 5. Task force.

27(a) Establishment.--The department shall establish a task
28force on prostate cancer and related chronic prostate
29conditions.

30(b) Purpose.--The task force shall investigate and make

1recommendations to the department regarding:

2(1) The prevalence of and measures available to detect,
3diagnose and treat prostate cancer and related chronic
4prostate conditions in this Commonwealth.

5(2) Raising awareness about the long-term effects caused
6by a lack of public policy and education about prostate
7cancer risk factors and screening guidelines.

8(3) Development of a program of general public and
9health care professional information and education regarding
10prostate cancer which shall include a uniform set of
11screening guidelines and the broad spectrum of scientific and
12treatment options regarding all stages of prostate cancer and
13related chronic prostate conditions.

14(4) Development of a program to ensure access to
15prostate cancer screening for all men in this Commonwealth,
16regardless of insurance coverage.

17(5) Cooperation with the Insurance Department, the
18Department of Aging and the Department of Public Welfare to
19disseminate the information required under paragraph (3) to
20the general public.

21(c) Composition.--The task force shall be composed of the
22following individuals:

23(1) The secretary or a designee.

24(2) The Secretary of the Commonwealth or a designee.

25(3) The Insurance Commissioner of the Commonwealth or a
26designee.

27(4) The Secretary of Aging or a designee.

28(5) The Secretary of Public Welfare or a designee.

29(6) Two members of the Public Health and Welfare
30Committee of the Senate or designees.

1(7) Two members of the Health Committee of the House of
2Representatives or designees.

3(8) Two physicians licensed in this Commonwealth who are
4knowledgeable concerning treatment of prostate cancer and
5related chronic prostate conditions and who are board
6certified in urology.

7(9) Two physicians licensed in this Commonwealth who are
8knowledgeable concerning treatment of prostate cancer and
9related chronic prostate conditions and who are practicing
10radiation oncologists treating prostate cancer.

11(10) An epidemiologist licensed in this Commonwealth who
12has expertise in the treatment of prostate cancer.

13(11) Two individuals who represent prostate cancer
14patient groups who may be prostate cancer patients or family
15members of a prostate cancer patient.

16(12) One individual who is a prostate cancer patient or
17family member of a prostate cancer patient.

18(13) Two registered nurses licensed in this
19Commonwealth, one of whom is a certified registered nurse
20practitioner and both of whom are knowledgeable concerning
21prostate cancer and related chronic prostate conditions.

22(d) Meetings.--

23(1) Within 45 days of the effective date of this
24section, the secretary shall appoint the members of the task
25force. The secretary shall appoint a chairman of the task
26force.

27(2) The task force shall convene within 90 days of the
28effective date of this section and shall meet at least
29quarterly. When necessary, the task force may participate in
30meetings via teleconference.

1(3) The task force shall issue a report with
2recommendations to the secretary within one year of its first
3meeting. The report shall also be transmitted to the Public
4Health and Welfare Committee of the Senate and the Health
5Committee of the House of Representatives.

6(4) Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit
7the task force from making interim reports or taking interim
8actions.

9(e) Compensation and expenses.--The members of the task
10force shall receive no compensation for their services but shall
11be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in
12performance of their duties. Reimbursement shall be provided by
13the department.

14(f) Duties of department.--The department shall:

15(1) Develop a program of general public and health care
16professional information and education regarding prostate
17cancer which shall include a uniform set of screening
18guidelines and the broad spectrum of scientific and treatment
19options regarding all stages of prostate cancer and related
20chronic prostate conditions.

21(2) Develop a program to ensure access to prostate
22cancer screening for all men in this Commonwealth, regardless
23of insurance coverage.

24(3) Cooperate with the Insurance Department, the
25Department of Aging and the Department of Public Welfare to
26disseminate the information required under paragraph (1) to
27medical professionals and the general public.

28(4) Cooperate with professional associations of health
29care professionals to provide the education program for
30professionals required under paragraph (1).

1(5) Identify and apply for public and private grants and
2funding in order to carry out the provisions of this act.

3Section 6. Effective date.

4This act shall take effect immediately.