Question reference: S6W-17721
- Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 4 May 2023
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 May 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the sensitivity of the bowel cancer testing programme to enable an increase in sensitivity from a level of 80 to 20.
Answer
The Scottish Government, along with the other UK nations, takes advice on whether or not to introduce any new screening programmes from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group.
Any changes to the sensitivity threshold the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme (SBSP) currently uses would come from a review of the evidence-base and subsequent recommendations from the UK NSC. These recommendations would also be considered by the Scottish Screening Committee.