Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 May 2014
177. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health with regard to the national bowel screening programme, the reason only one sample is taken when in Britain a week's samples are examined; and the level of personal data requested without which the kit will not be released, including mother's date of birth, which would not be known. [19805/14]
View answerBowelScreen, the National Bowel Screening Programme, uses a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) as its primary screening tool. It is one of the first population-based bowel screening programmes internationally to utilise this test as the primary screening tool. One sample has been proven to be sufficient under FIT and this approach is also likely to maximise uptake. The NHS UK screening programmes use a different primary screening test which requires multiple samples. As with all population screening programmes in Ireland, some personal data is requested to verify the identity of individuals being screened. No request is made to give a mother’s date of birth. The personal details involved include name, date of birth, address, contact telephone number and GP details.
