Eoin Ó Broin
Ceist:115. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to extending the upper age limit for BreastCheck; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21944/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 15 May 2024
Ceisteanna (115)
Freagraí scríofa
I am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service. They enable early treatment and care for many people and improve 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.
In response to the Deputy's question, I will 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). Importantly, this is an independent expert group that considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured, operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms. Careful consideration must be given to any proposed expansion of Ireland’s screening programmes, and this process must be afforded the necessary amount of time to complete. This includes ensuring that decisions are made based on internationally accepted criteria and scientific rigour.
In this regard, I am pleased to inform you that NSAC is already progressing in work to consider the further expansion of Ireland’s screening programs. On the basis of a request from NSAC, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has commenced initial work on evaluating the evidence for a further expansion of the age range eligibility for the BreastCheck program, in addition to examining the matter of breast density.