Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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559. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of expanding BreastCheck to 45 years to 74 years, BowelScreen to 50 years to 74 years and BowelScreen to ensure it reaches 60% target of participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45999/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.

BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme, currently invites women aged 50 to 69 years at regular periods to have a routine mammogram. Under commitments in the Programme for Government, BreastCheck eligibility has been expanded to women aged 69 years since 2021.

Since October 2023, BowelScreen, the national bowel cancer screening programme, invites men and women aged between 59-69 to take the free at-home screening test. This is an important part of a phased approach to expanding the screening age, in line with available capacity and resources. When full expansion is complete, people aged 55-74 will be invited for screening.

I would highlight that any decisions about further changes in cancer screening, including further extension of the age ranges, will be made on the advice of the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC). This independent expert group considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important that we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.

In this regard, I am pleased to report that NSAC is already progressing work to consider the further expansion of our cancer screening programmes and has submitted a request to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to consider the evidence for a further expansion of the age range eligibility for the BreastCheck and BowelScreen programmes.

HIQA is currently focused on two Health Technology Assessment (HTA) processes underway to examine the expansion of the BowelScreen programme and the potential development of a population-based screening programme for Abdominal Aortic Aneurism (AAA). Work has already commenced in this regard and a report is expected to be submitted to NSAC for consideration in 2025. The evidence review for the expansion of the BreastCheck programme remains a key priority for NSAC and is expected to commence once the ongoing HTAs have concluded.

HTAs facilitate the assessment of relevant evidence and knowledge on the effects and consequences of healthcare technologies to guide decisions regarding the appropriate use of technology and efficient allocation of resources. They involve a multi-disciplinary assessment of the clinical, economic, ethical, legal and societal perspectives that may be impacted by the introduction of a new technology. They are time intensive and rigorous processes.

It is not possible to provide an estimated cost of expanding the BreastCheck and BowelScreen programmes at this time, as the financial cost is but one factor that will be considered in the decision-making process. Due to the complex nature of the evaluation process and the criteria against which a decision is made, it would be impossible to accurately quantify the cost of expansion until a full evidential assessment is completed.

Finally, I would like to emphasise that population-based screening programmes are for people without symptoms. If anyone becomes aware of symptoms, or if they have concerns or worries, they should contact their General Practitioner.