Vol. 434 No. 2
373 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health if he will give an up-date report on breast cancer screening; and if he will make a statement on the working party and the development of a mammography service for Irish women.
Diagnostic mammography services are available to women at a number of hospitals throughout the country. My Department is also supporting a major breast cancer screening programme currently underway at the Mater Foundation. This programme, the Eccles Breast Screening Programme, is one of a network of seven pilot schemes on breast cancer screening in the European Community. The objectives of the screening programme are:
—To evaluate the impact of mammographic screening on mortality from breast cancer among Irish women.
—To document compliance with a breast screening programme in Irish women.
—To compare the specificity, sensitivity and predictive value of the mammography screening programme with that reported internationally.
The Eccles Breast Screening Progrmme is expected to conclude screening towards the end of 1994. Decisions on the national policy to be followed in this matter will be influenced by the results of the pilot study.
