Brief Description: Establishing requirements for cancer registry information to be provided to cancer patients.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representative Nixon).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

• Requires contractors who enter a patient's information into the statewide cancer registry to mail printed materials describing the statewide cancer registry program to the patient.

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 13 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Morrell, Vice Chair; Bailey, Ranking Minority Member; Alexander, Benson, Campbell, Clibborn, Darneille, Edwards, Moeller, Rodne, Schual-Berke and Skinner.

Washington is one of 45 states that receives funding awards from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to participate in the National Program of Cancer Registries. The Department of Health maintains the Washington State Cancer Registry (Cancer Registry) through partnerships with private organizations. The Cancer Registry collects data related to the identity of cancer patients, their cancer diagnoses, their first course of treatment, their health care providers, and other information that may be required by the CDC. Health care facilities, independent clinical laboratories, and principal health care providers are required to report this information.

Data that could lead to the identification of cancer patients, cancer diagnosis or treatment facilities, independent clinical laboratories, or attending health care providers is confidential. The data in the Cancer Registry is used for statistical, scientific, medical research, and public health purposes and confidential data may only be released for these purposes and subject to specified conditions.

Contractors and subcontractors responsible for entering a patient's information into the statewide cancer registry must mail the patient who is the subject of the report, information describing the purpose of the statewide cancer registry program; the collection, use, distribution, and confidentiality of the information; and other information required by the Department of Health.

Testimony For: People should have the right to know how their personal information is being used and where it is going.

Testimony Against: Contacting patients prior to reporting to the cancer registry program can slow down the reporting process and can be costly.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Nixon, prime sponsor; and Darla Eastman.