Bowel cancer screening program should continue
A new study undertaken by University of Sydney researchers shows the Federal Government could give all Australians aged 50 to 74 access to a life-saving bowel cancer test for as little as $80 million in net annual costs as health system savings accrue.
Cancer Council Australia said the findings made a compelling case for expanding the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program – which was winding down as the Government considered its future.
Chief executive officer, Professor Ian Olver, said that the findings support the single message in Cancer Council Australia’s pre-budget submission to Treasury: that expanding the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is the best investment available to the Australian Government for reducing cancer deaths in the short and long term.
He said the estimated gross cost of $150 million for the program was comparable to the breast and cervical screening programs, both of which Cancer Council supported.
Study co-author, Kathy Flitcroft, said the annual $150 million outlay would decrease as cost offsets accrued, incidence reduced and people were diagnosed earlier, thus reducing hospital expenditure which accounted for most of Australia’s escalating bowel cancer bill.
The research was published last month in the Medical Journal of Australia.
