Prostate research, imaging, and men’s education

(a) Research and development of prostate cancer imaging technologies (1) Expansion of research The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary), acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health and the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall carry out a program to expand and intensify research to develop innovative advanced imaging technologies for prostate cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment comparable to state-of-the-art mammography technologies. (2) Early stage research In implementing the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall carry out a grant program to encourage the early stages of research in prostate imaging to develop and implement new ideas, proof of concepts, and pilot studies for high-risk technologic innovation in prostate cancer imaging that would have a high potential impact for improving patient care, including individualized care, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. (3) Large scale later stage research In implementing the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, shall utilize the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Cancer Institute for advanced stages of research in prostate imaging, including technology development and clinical trials for projects determined by the Secretary to have demonstrated promising preliminary results and proof of concept. (4) Interdisciplinary private-public partnerships In developing the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall establish interdisciplinary private-public partnerships to develop and implement research strategies for expedited innovation in imaging and image-guided treatment and to conduct such research. (5) Racial disparities In developing the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall recognize and address— (A) the racial disparities in the incidences of prostate cancer and mortality rates with respect to such disease; and (B) any barriers in access to care and participation in clinical trials that are specific to racial minorities. (6) Authorization of appropriations (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. (B) Specific allocations Of the amount authorized to be appropriated under subparagraph (A) for each of the fiscal years described in such subparagraph— (i) no less than 10 percent may be used to carry out the grant program under paragraph (2); and (ii) no more than 1 percent may be used to carry out paragraph (4). (b) Public awareness and education campaign (1) National campaign The Secretary shall carry out a national campaign to increase the awareness and knowledge of individuals in the United States with respect to the need for prostate cancer screening and for improved detection technologies. (2) Requirements The national campaign conducted under this subsection shall include— (A) roles for the Health Resources Services Administration, the Office of Minority Health of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and (B) the development and distribution of written educational materials, and the development and placing of public service announcements, that are intended to encourage men to seek prostate cancer screening and to create awareness of the need for improved imaging technologies for prostate cancer screening and diagnosis, including in-vitro blood testing and imaging technologies. (3) Racial disparities In developing the national campaign under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall recognize and address— (A) the racial disparities in the incidences of prostate cancer and mortality rates with respect to such disease; and (B) any barriers in access to care and participation in clinical trials that are specific to racial minorities. (4) Grants The Secretary shall establish a program to award grants to nonprofit private entities to enable such entities to test alternative outreach and education strategies to increase the awareness and knowledge of individuals in the United States with respect to the need for prostate cancer screening and improved imaging technologies. (5) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. (c) Improving prostate cancer screening blood tests (1) In general The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall support research to develop an improved prostate cancer screening blood test using in-vitro detection. (2) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. (d) Reporting and compliance (1) Report and strategy Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that details the strategy of the Secretary for implementing the requirements of this section and the status of such efforts. (2) Full compliance Not later than 36 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that— (A) describes the research and development and public awareness and education campaigns funded under this section; (B) provides evidence that projects involving high-risk, high-impact technologic innovation, proof of concept, and pilot studies are prioritized; (C) provides evidence that the Secretary recognizes and addresses any barriers in access to care and participation in clinical trials that are specific to racial minorities in the implementation of this section; (D) contains assurances that all the other provisions of this section are fully implemented; and (E) certifies compliance with the provisions of this section, or in the case of a Federal agency that has not complied with any of such provisions, an explanation as to such failure to comply.