(a) The department shall conduct a program of epidemiological assessments of the incidence of Parkinson’s disease. The program shall encompass all areas of the state for which Parkinson’s disease incidence data are available. The program shall include the monitoring of Parkinson’s disease associated with suspected chemical agents encountered by the general public both in occupational locations and in the environment generally.

(b) The program shall be under the direction of the director, who may enter into contracts as are necessary for the conduct of the program and may accept, on behalf of the state, grants of public or private funds for the program. The director shall analyze available incidence data and prepare reports as necessary to identify Parkinson’s disease hazards to the public health and their remedies.

(c) This chapter shall be implemented only to the extent funds from federal or private sources are made available for this purpose. When the department determines that sufficient private or federal funds have been received for the implementation of this chapter, the department shall provide notification of the receipt of the funds on its Internet Web site and shall also provide that information to associations representing physicians and pharmacists, and directly to the California State Board of Pharmacy and the Medical Board of California within 90 days.

(d) The department is encouraged to convene a task force comprised of researchers with expertise in Parkinson’s disease, advocates for patients with Parkinson’s disease, and other individuals with relevant expertise to provide support and advice for the implementation and funding of the California Parkinson’s Disease Registry.

(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 945, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.)