Eligibility lowered as part of New Zealand's alignment with Australia.
Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced a significant change in bowel cancer screening eligibility, lowering the age from 60 to 58. This move is aimed at aligning New Zealand's screening rate with that of Australia and will make free bowel screening available to all Kiwis aged between 58 and 74.
The redirected funding of $36 million over four years is expected to see 122,000 people eligible for free tests in the first year alone. According to projections, this change will prevent an additional 771 bowel cancers and 566 deaths over the next 25 years. The Government has also approved additional funding for targeted initiatives aimed at increasing screening rates among under-screened populations.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer globally, with more than 3,300 people diagnosed annually and over 1,200 fatalities per year. By expanding eligibility for free bowel cancer screening tests, the Government aims to enable Kiwis to detect cancer earlier, undertake treatment, and ultimately save lives. The move is seen as a significant step towards improving cancer detection and treatment in New Zealand.