Florida Statutes § 215.5602

“James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program under the taxation and finance law”

The James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program is established within the Department of Health to provide an annual funding source to support research initiatives relating to tobacco-related cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease. The long-term goals of the program are to:

• Improve the health of Floridians by researching better prevention, diagnoses, treatments, and cures for cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease.
• Expand the foundation of biomedical knowledge relating to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases related to tobacco use, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease.
• Improve the quality of the state's academic health centers by bringing the advances of biomedical research into the training of physicians and other health care providers.
• Increase the state's per capita funding for research by undertaking new initiatives in public health and biomedical research that will attract additional funding from outside the state.
• Stimulate economic activity in the state in areas related to biomedical research, such as the research and production of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices.

The Biomedical Research Advisory Council is created within the Department of Health to advise the State Surgeon General as to the direction and scope of the biomedical research program. The responsibilities of the council may include:

• Providing advice on program priorities and emphases.
• Providing advice on the overall program budget.
• Participating in periodic program evaluation.
• Assisting in the development of guidelines to ensure fairness, neutrality, and adherence to the principles of merit and quality in the conduct of the program.
• Assisting in the development of appropriate linkages to nonacademic entities, such as voluntary organizations, health care delivery institutions, industry, government agencies, and public officials.
• Developing criteria and standards for the award of research grants.
• Developing guidelines relating to solicitation, review, and award of research grants and fellowships, to ensure an impartial, high-quality peer review system.
• Reviewing reports of peer review panels and making recommendations for research grants and fellowships.
• Developing and providing oversight regarding mechanisms for the dissemination of research results.