Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Health

The Government has agreed to progressively lower the age of eligibility for bowel cancer screening tests to align with Australia.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that we are taking the first step by lowering the age to 58, with redirected funding of $36 million over four years.

“This means free bowel screening will become available to all New Zealanders from the ages of 58 to 74,” Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“Lowering the age of eligibility from 60 to 58 will see 122,000 Kiwis eligible for free tests in the first year and save hundreds of lives over the coming decades.

“This is the first significant step we are taking to align our screening rate for bowel cancer with Australia as funding and access to additional colonoscopy resource becomes available.

“The changes announced today are projected to prevent an additional 771 bowel cancers and an additional 566 bowel cancer deaths over the next 25 years.

“Advice from the Ministry of Health clearly states that lowering the age to 58 for all New Zealanders will save even more lives than the previous government’s approach to lower the age to 50 for Māori and Pacific Peoples only.

“Under our approach, we will be able to prevent 218 additional cancers and 176 additional deaths over 25 years in comparison to the settings proposed by the previous government.

“This also aligns with the Government’s policy of ensuring that healthcare is delivered on the basis of need.

“The evidence is clear: by delivering this first step for all New Zealanders, more lives will be saved.

“The Government has also approved additional funding for targeted initiatives that aim to increase screening rates among population groups with low rates. Improving early detection of bowel cancers can be lifesaving, and this significant investment will be a game-changer for under-screened populations.

“New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer globally. Every year, more than 3,300 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in New Zealand. Tragically, more than 1,200 Kiwis die from the disease.

“We are committed to improving cancer detection and treatment for Kiwis. Last year we announced a $604 million uplift over four years to enable thousands more Kiwis to access life-saving cancer drugs.”

“We will continue to deliver better outcomes for people with cancer as a result of the changes announced today.

“By expanding eligibility for free bowel cancer screening tests, we will enable Kiwis to detect cancer earlier, undertake treatment, and ultimately save lives,” Mr Brown says.

Notes:

• Free bowel cancer screening has been expanded from 60 – 74 to 58 – 74.
• Australia’s current age of eligibility for bowel cancer screening tests is 45 years old.
• The announcement repurposes funding set aside by the previous government to lower the eligibility age from 60 to 50-years-old for Māori and Pacific Peoples. This would have resulted in fewer tests and lower detection.

• During the election campaign Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis made clear that the National Party was committed to lowering the eligible starting age for free bowel cancer screening – as workforce and fiscal conditions allowed.
• Lowering the bowel screening starting age to 58 will take place in two stages. The first stage will begin in October 2025 in two of Health New Zealand’s regions, and the second stage will begin in March 2026 in the remaining two regions. People will be mailed their kit around their next birthday or be contacted by a local provider, once age extension is introduced in their area.
• Initiatives to improve screening rates will include actions to make participation easier, promote and improve awareness of access to bowel screening kits, and provide greater opportunities for screening and test kit return.
• More information about bowel cancer and the National Bowel Screening Programme can be found here.

© Scoop Media