The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA ) has commenced a health technology assessment (HTA ) of extending Ireland’s national colorectal cancer screening programme, BowelScreen, to those aged 50 to 54 years.
BowelScreen uses a home test kit that looks for a level of blood in the stool. If the amount of blood found in the stool is above the screening limit, participants are referred for a colonoscopy. The programme currently invites those aged 59 to 69 years for screening every two years, and there is a commitment to screen those aged 55 to 74 in the future.
Dr Máirín Ryan, HIQA’s Deputy CEO and Director of Health Technology Assessment, said screening can help to detect signs of cancer at an earlier stage, when there may not be any symptoms.
“We are undertaking an assessment to consider the implications of extending the BowelScreen programme to include people aged 50 to 54 years. In this assessment, we will explore the benefits, potential harms, and organisational and ethical implications of extending the colorectal cancer screening age for patients, the general public, and the healthcare system in Ireland,” she said.
HIQA was requested to undertake this HTA by the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC ). NSAC was established by the Minister for Health as an independent advisory committee to play a significant strategic role in the development and consideration of population-based screening programmes in Ireland.
Once completed, a draft assessment will be made available for consultation to the public, with an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft findings. This feedback will be reflected in the final HTA report submitted to NSAC. Feedback received during the consultation and HIQA’s responses to the issues raised, including any changes made to the report as a result, will be published on the HIQA website in a report alongside the final HTA.
The full HTA and advice to NSAC will be published in due course.
Read the protocol on www.hiqa.ie
