§321-43  Statistical activities.  Thedepartment of health shall engage in the collection and analysis of statisticalinformation on the morbidity and mortality of cancer in the State.  Themorbidity data may be collected in cooperation with the University of Hawaii,Hawaii Medical Association, and the Hawaii cancer society.  All data collectedby a cooperating agency may be shared with the department of health in the formspecified by the department of health.  The mortality data as collected fromdeath certificates shall be analyzed by the staff of the department in order todetermine the significance of cancer in the State by race, sex, age,occupation, site in the body, and in any other way found desirable for thepurpose of determining the areas where greatest emphasis should be laid in thestatewide cancer control program.  The morbidity data shall be used:

(1)  In determining the prognosis and chance of cure,as well as the number of persons cured of cancer in the State;

(2)  For assisting in the direction of tumor research;

(3)  For determining, if possible, the tendencies ofbenign tumors to become malignant;

(4)  For assisting in the follow-up of diagnosed ortreated tumor cases as requested by attending physicians; and

(5)  For improving the reporting of the cause of deathon death certificates.

All statistical material collected under thissection shall be considered confidential as to the names of persons orphysicians concerned, except that researchers may use the names of thosepersons when requesting additional information for research studies when thestudies have been approved by the cancer commission of the Hawaii MedicalAssociation and the appropriate federally authorized human subjects protectionboard. [L 1949, c 79, §4; RL 1955, §46-33; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §19; HRS§321-43; am L 1973, c 25, §2; am L 2008, c 117, §2]