It shall be the duty of the State Board of Health, with the assistance of the Committee on Cancer Control of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, to formulate a plan for the care and treatment of indigent persons suffering from cancer and to establish and designate standard requirements for the organization, equipment and conduct of cancer units or departments in general or private hospitals or private clinics of this state. The designation of cancer units shall follow the survey of the needs and facilities for treatment of cancer found available in different localities in the state.

The expenses incurred in, and the cost of carrying out, the provisions of this article shall be paid out of the appropriation made to the State Health Department for that purpose.

The State Board of Health, in collaboration with the Committee on Cancer Control of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and other agencies, shall formulate and put into effect an educational plan for the purpose of preventing cancer throughout the State of Alabama, and for the purpose of aiding in the early diagnosis of cancer and for the purpose of informing hospitals and cancer patients of the proper treatment.

This article shall be known and may be cited as the 'Alabama Statewide Cancer Registry Act.'

(a) There is hereby established within the Department of Public Health the Alabama Statewide Cancer Registry for the purpose of providing accurate and up-to-date information about cancer or benign brain-related tumors in Alabama and facilitating the evaluation and improvement of cancer or benign brain-related tumor prevention, screening, diagnosis, therapy, rehabilitation, and community care activities for the citizens of Alabama. The State Committee of Public Health shall adopt rules necessary to effect the purposes of this article, including the data to be reported, and the effective date after which reporting shall be required. For the purposes of this article, cancer means all malignant neoplasms, regardless of the tissue of origin, including malignant lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and leukemia, but excluding basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and carcinoma in situ of the cervix.

(b) All cases of confirmed cancer or benign brain-related tumor diagnosed or treated in the state are to be reported to the State Health Department. For the purposes of this article, confirmed cancer or benign brain-related tumor means the best evidence available for determining the nature of the neoplasms.

(c) The State Health Officer shall establish a training program to include instruction on the manner in which data are to be reported and shall be available to personnel of all reporting sources. A quality control program for cancer data shall be instituted to ensure the quality of data submitted.

(a) Each case of confirmed cancer or benign brain-related tumor shall be reported within 180 days of admission or diagnosis in the manner prescribed by rule. Reports are to be submitted on a monthly basis.

(b) Any further demographic, diagnostic, treatment, or follow-up information shall be provided upon request by the State Health Officer concerning any person now or formerly receiving services, or diagnosed as having or having had a malignant neoplasm or benign brain-related tumor. The State Health Officer or his or her authorized representative shall be permitted access to all records, including death certificates, which would identify confirmed cases of cancer or benign brain-related tumor or would establish characteristics of the cancer or benign brain-related tumor, treatment of the cancer or benign brain-related tumor, or medical status of any identified cancer or benign brain-related tumor patient.

(a) All information reported pursuant to this article shall be confidential and privileged.

(b) The State Health Officer shall take strict measures to ensure that all identifying information is kept confidential, except as otherwise provided in this article.

(c) Cancer or benign brain-related tumor information may be provided to researchers or research institutions, or both, in connection with cancer or benign brain-related tumor morbidity and mortality studies upon appropriate review by the State Health Officer. All identifying information regarding an individual patient, health care provider, or health care facility contained in records of interviews, written reports, and statements procured by the State Health Officer or by any other person, agency, or organization acting jointly with the State Health Officer in connection with these studies shall be confidential and privileged and shall be used solely for the purposes of the study. Nothing in this article shall prevent the State Health Officer from publishing statistical compilations relating to morbidity and mortality studies which do not identify individual cases or sources of information.

(d) Information collected under this article is not subject to disclosure under Section 36-12-40.

(a) The State Health Officer may enter into agreements to exchange confidential information with other cancer registries to obtain complete reports of Alabama residents diagnosed or treated in other states and to provide information to other states regarding their residents diagnosed or treated in Alabama.

(b) The State Health Officer may furnish confidential information to other states' cancer registries, federal cancer control agencies, or health researchers in order to collaborate in a national cancer registry or to collaborate in cancer control and prevention research studies.

(a) No person shall have any claim or cause of action against the State of Alabama, or its political subdivisions, or any individual arising out of any acts or omissions which occurred under the provisions of this article, if the state, political subdivisions, or individual is in compliance with this article.

(b) No person shall have any claim or cause of action against any person, or the employer or employee of any person, who participates in good faith in the reporting or receiving, or both, of cancer registry data or data for cancer or benign brain-related tumor morbidity or mortality studies in accordance with this article.

(c) No license of a health care facility or health care provider may be denied, suspended, or revoked for the good faith disclosure of confidential or privileged information in the reporting of cancer registry data or data for cancer or benign brain-related tumor morbidity or mortality studies in accordance with this article.

(d) No license of a health care facility or health care provider may be denied, suspended, or revoked for the failure to disclose confidential or privileged information in the reporting of cancer or benign brain-related tumor registry data or data for cancer or benign brain-related tumor morbidity or mortality studies.

(e) Nothing in this article shall be construed to apply to the unauthorized disclosure of confidential or privileged information when that disclosure is due to gross negligence or wanton or willful misconduct.

The board shall conduct an educational campaign relative to the importance of the early diagnosis of cancer. The State Health Officer shall publish an annual statistical report reviewing accomplishments under this article. The campaign shall be conducted through the churches, the schools, and civic organizations, the print and electronic media, platform speaking, and any other available means of publicity.

The State Board of Health may, in its discretion, provide for such an annual program for the early diagnosis of cancer for residents of this state as, in its judgment, is practicable.