It is the intent of this legislation to promote the following objectives:
(a) To provide information on the incidence, prevalence and trends of birth defects.
(b) To provide information as to the possible causes of birth defects.
(c) To develop prevention strategies to reduce the incidence of birth defects.
(d) To provide information as to the morbidity and death rates resulting from birth defects.
(e) To contribute so that persons identified with birth defects may have early access to available services.
(f) To provide information on geographic, temporal or occupational associations arising from research on exposure to environmental risks and other causes.
(g) To publish annually the results of research studies for the benefit of public health and make them available to scientists and physicians.
(h) To maintain a centralized birth defect registry.
(i) To develop and maintain collaboration agreements with the public agency, private institution and academic sectors that could be involved in providing services to the affected population and in the procedures for gathering, analyzing and disseminating Birth Defect Monitoring System data.
History —Sept. 16, 2004, No. 351, § 4.