Establishes pancreatic cancer awareness campaign.

A4700

ASSEMBLY, No. 4700

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 16, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Assemblywoman� MARISA SWEENEY

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes pancreatic cancer awareness campaign.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning pancreatic cancer and supplementing Title 26
of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� The Legislature finds and
declares that:

���� a.� Pancreatic cancer is a
serious public health concern in New Jersey and the nation;

���� b.� Pancreatic cancer is a
highly aggressive malignancy that arises in the pancreas and is often diagnosed
at a late stage when curative treatment is difficult and survival rates are low;

���� c.� Surgery is the only
treatment that can cure pancreatic cancer, but is an only option for about 20
percent of cases.� Surgery to remove the cancer, in combination with
chemotherapy and possibly radiation therapy, is generally the most effective
treatment for early pancreatic cancer;

���� d.� The pancreas is an organ
of the digestive and endocrine systems that produces enzymes for digestion and
hormones that regulate blood glucose;

���� e.� Symptoms of pancreatic
cancer may include weight loss, abdominal discomfort, back pain, and the
development of type 2 diabetes.� In some cases, tumors may cause jaundice,
which can lead to earlier diagnosis;

���� f.� Pancreatic cancer is
currently the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States,
after lung and colorectal cancers, and is expected to become the second leading
cause by 2030;

���� g.� Pancreatic cancer accounts
for a disproportionate share of cancer deaths relative to its incidence,
reflecting challenges in early detection, disease biology, and access to
specialized care;

���� h.� In New Jersey, pancreatic
cancer remains a significant burden on patients, families, and the health care
system. �According to the New Jersey State Cancer Registry, there are
approximately 1,420 new pancreatic cancer diagnoses and 1,191 deaths from
pancreatic cancer each year in this State, and the vast majority of cases are
diagnosed at an advanced stage, contributing to one of the lowest five-year
survival rates among common cancers;

���� i.� Understanding of risk
factors, barriers to early detection, access to genetic and biomarker testing,
clinical care, clinical trials, and supportive services is critical to
improving outcomes for individuals affected by pancreatic cancer; and

���� j.� A coordinated,
multidisciplinary approach to pancreatic cancer in New Jersey, coupled with a
statewide public awareness campaign on symptoms, risk factors, and early
detection, would support evidence-informed policymaking, promote earlier
diagnosis, improve access to care, and reduce inequities in health outcomes.

���� 2.��� As used in this act:

���� �Commissioner� means the
Commissioner of Health.

���� �Department� means the
Department of Health.

���� �Health care provider� means a
health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.163 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.)
or an individual licensed or certified to practice a health care profession
pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

���� �Pancreatic cancer� means a malignant
tumor arising in the pancreas that is frequently diagnosed at an advanced
stage.

���� �Program� means the pancreatic
cancer public awareness and education program established pursuant to this act.

���� 3.� The Commissioner of
Health, subject to available appropriations, shall establish a pancreatic
cancer public awareness and education program.

���� a.���� The purpose of the
program shall be to promote public awareness of pancreatic cancer and the value
of early detection and possible treatments, including the benefits and risks of
those treatments.� The Department of Health may accept, for that purpose, any
special grant of monies, services, or property from the federal government or
any of its agencies, or from any foundation, organization, or medical school.

���� b.� The program shall include
the following:

���� (1) Development of a public
education and outreach campaign to promote pancreatic cancer awareness and
education, including, but not limited to, the following subjects:

���� (a) the cause and nature of pancreatic
cancer;

���� (b) diagnostic procedures and
appropriate indications for their use;

���� (c) lifestyle issues related
to coping with pancreatic cancer, including, but not limited to, nutrition and
diet;

���� (d)�� lifestyle changes to
lower pancreatic cancer risk; and

���� (e)�� the availability of pancreatic
cancer diagnostic and treatment services in the community.

���� (2)�� Development of
educational materials to be made available to consumers through local boards of
health, physicians, hospitals, community health events, and clinics;

���� (3)�� Development of
professional education programs for health care providers to assist them in
understanding relevant research findings and the subjects set forth in
paragraph (1) of this subsection; and

���� (4)�� Development and
maintenance of a list of licensed providers of specialized services for the
diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.� Dissemination of the list shall
be accompanied by a description of diagnostic procedures, appropriate
indications for their use, and a cautionary statement about the current status
of pancreatic cancer research and treatment.� The statement shall also indicate
that the department does not endorse specific pancreatic cancer programs or
centers in this State.

���� c.� The department, in
consultation with the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, shall prepare and
make available on the department�s Internet website, in English and Spanish,
and in a manner that is easily understandable by a patient or other non-health
care professional, information about the symptoms and treatment of pancreatic
cancer and any other information that the commissioner deems to be necessary.�
This information may be revised by the department whenever new information
about pancreatic cancer becomes available.

���� 4.� The Commissioner of Health
may adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with the �Administrative
Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as necessary to
effectuate the provisions of this act.

���� 5. �This act shall take effect
on the 180th day following enactment, except that the Commissioner of Health
may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be
necessary for the implementation of the act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
Department of Health (DOH) to establish a pancreatic cancer awareness campaign
to promote pancreatic cancer awareness and education, including, but not
limited to: (1) the cause and nature of pancreatic cancer; (2) diagnostic
procedures and appropriate indications for their use; (3) lifestyle issues
related to coping with pancreatic cancer, including, but not limited to,
nutrition and diet; (4) lifestyle changes to lower pancreatic cancer risk; and
(5) the availability of pancreatic cancer diagnostic and treatment services in
the community.

���� The program is also to include
the development of educational materials to be made available to consumers
through local boards of health, physicians, hospitals, community health events,
and clinics, in addition to the development of professional education programs
for health care providers to assist them in understanding relevant research
findings and the subjects set forth in the bill.�

���� The DOH, in consultation with
the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, is to prepare, and make available
on the department�s Internet website, in English and Spanish, and in a manner
that is easily understandable by a patient or other non-health care
professional, information about the symptoms and treatment of pancreatic cancer
and any other information that the Commissioner of Health deems to be
necessary.