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PRINTER'S NO. 599
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
609
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY MENSCH, FONTANA, GREENLEAF, ARGALL, SMITH,
RAFFERTY, SCARNATI AND COSTA, MARCH 6, 2015
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, MARCH 6, 2015
AN ACT
Establishing a task force on prostate cancer and related chronic
prostate conditions; and providing for powers and duties of
the task force, the Department of Health, the Insurance
Department, the Department of Aging and the Department of
Human Services, and for prevention and education strategies.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Prostate
Cancer Surveillance, Education, Detection and Treatment Act.
Section 2. Findings.
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer
diagnosed in men in this Commonwealth.
(2) African-American men are 61% more likely than
Caucasian men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and twice
as likely to die from it.
(3) One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate
cancer in their lifetime.
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(4) In 2011, approximately 10,240 men were diagnosed
with prostate cancer in Pennsylvania. In that same year,
nearly 1,300 men died from prostate cancer.
(5) As of 2014, Pennsylvania does not provide or
disseminate prostate cancer information as part of a public
health campaign or message.
(6) Currently, a lack of consensus regarding prostate
cancer screening guidelines creates an environment of
confusion leading to inconsistent screening rates across the
Commonwealth.
(7) When diagnosed at an early stage, prostate cancer
survival rates are very high.
Section 3. Legislative Intent.
It is the intent of the General Assembly:
(1) 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.
(2) To ensure that:
(i) Medical professionals, insurers, patients and
governmental agencies are educated about risk factors and
screening guidelines.
(ii) 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 that choice.
(iii) Pennsylvania government agencies provide
unbiased information regarding screening, diagnosis and
treatment options.
(iv) Uniform screening guidelines are established
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for prostate cancer in Pennsylvania.
Section 4. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Health care professional." A licensed physician, physician
assistant, certified registered nurse practitioner or other
licensed health care professional.
"Prostate cancer." Cancer that forms in the tissue of the
prostate.
"Related chronic prostate condition." Conditions that
include porostatitis, which is inflammation of the prostate, and
an enlarged prostate. The term does not include prostate cancer.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth.
"State officials." The term includes the Secretary of
Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth.
"Task force." The task force established by this act.
Section 5. Task force.
(a) Establishment.--The department shall establish a task
force on prostate cancer and related chronic prostate
conditions.
(b) Purpose.--The task force shall investigate and make
recommendations to the department regarding:
(1) The prevalence of and measures available to detect,
diagnose and treat prostate cancer and related chronic
prostate conditions in this Commonwealth.
(2) Raising awareness about the long-term effects caused
by a lack of public policy and education about prostate
cancer risk factors and screening guidelines.
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(3) Development of a program of information and
education regarding prostate cancer which shall include a
uniform set of screening guidelines and the broad spectrum of
scientific and treatment options regarding all stages of
prostate cancer and related chronic prostate conditions.
(4) Development of a program to ensure access to
prostate cancer screening for all male residents of this
Commonwealth, regardless of insurance coverage.
(5) Cooperation with the Insurance Department,
Department of Aging, and the Department of Human Services to
disseminate the information required under paragraph (3) to
the general public.
(c) Composition.--The task force shall be composed of the
following individuals:
(1) The secretary or a designee.
(2) The Secretary of the Commonwealth or a designee.
(3) The Insurance Commissioner or a designee.
(4) The Secretary of Aging or a designee.
(5) The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.
(6) Two members of the Public Health and Welfare
Committee of the Senate or designees.
(7) Two members of the Health Committee of the House of
Representatives or designees.
(8) Two physicians licensed in this Commonwealth who are
knowledgeable concerning treatment of prostate cancer and
related chronic prostate conditions and who are board
certified in urology.
(9) Two physicians licensed in this Commonwealth who are
knowledgeable concerning treatment of prostate cancer and
related chronic prostate conditions and who are practicing
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radiation oncologists treating prostate cancer.
(10) An epidemiologist licensed in this Commonwealth who
has expertise in prostate cancer.
(11) Two individuals who represent prostate cancer
patient groups, either of whom may be a prostate cancer
patient or a family member of a prostate cancer patient.
(12) One individual who is a prostate cancer patient or
family member of a prostate cancer patient.
(13) Two registered nurses licensed in this
Commonwealth, one of whom is a certified registered nurse
practitioner and both of whom are knowledgeable concerning
prostate cancer and related chronic prostate conditions.
(d) Meetings.--
(1) Within 45 days of the effective date of this
section, the secretary shall appoint the members and a
chairperson of the task force.
(2) The task force shall convene within 90 days of the
effective date of this section and shall meet at least
quarterly. When necessary, some task force members may
participate in meetings via teleconference.
(3) The task force shall issue a report with
recommendations to the secretary within one year of its first
meeting. The report shall be transmitted to the Public Health
and Welfare Committee of the Senate and the Health Committee
of the House of Representatives.
(4) Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit
the task force from making interim reports or taking interim
actions.
(e) Compensation and expenses.--The members of the task
force shall receive no compensation for their services, but
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shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in
performance of their duties. Reimbursement shall be provided by
the department.
(f) Duties of department.--The department shall:
(1) Develop a program of information and education
regarding prostate cancer which shall include a uniform set
of screening guidelines and the broad spectrum of scientific
and treatment options regarding all stages of prostate cancer
and related chronic prostate conditions.
(2) Develop a program to ensure access to prostate
cancer screening for all male residents of this Commonwealth,
regardless of insurance coverage.
(3) Cooperate with the Insurance Department, Department
of Aging and the Department of Human Services to disseminate
the information required under paragraph (1) to medical
professionals and the general public.
(4) Cooperate with professional associations of health
care professionals to provide the education program for
professionals required under paragraph (1).
(5) Identify and apply for public and private grants and
funding in order to carry out the provisions of this act.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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