The secretary of health may contract with either a recognized regional cancer research institution or regional tumor registry, or both, which shall hereinafter be called the contractor, to establish a statewide cancer registry program and to obtain cancer reports from all or a portion of the state as required in RCW 70.54.240 and to make available data for use in cancer research and for purposes of improving the public health.

Intent—1990 c 280: "It is the intent of the legislature to establish a system to accurately monitor the incidence of cancer in the state of Washington for the purposes of understanding, controlling, and reducing the occurrence of cancer in this state. In order to accomplish this, the legislature has determined that cancer cases shall be reported to the department of health, and that there shall be established a statewide population-based cancer registry." [ 1990 c 280 § 1.]