Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I want to agree with the member for New England about the importance of bowel cancer screening. He is right in indicating that this is the second most common cause of cancer deaths. Indeed, it is a serious issue. That is why we have committed to ongoing funding for screening for 50-, 55- and 65-year-olds, which will see almost 3.7 million people offered screening over the next four years. It is very important to say that this national screening program, terrific as it is and important as it is in detecting cancers early, when they are much more treatable, is not a replacement for regular contact with a person's GP. People who are outside those screening ages can talk to their GP and can have that test if it is clinically indicated. People are also able to buy a testing kit from a pharmacist for $37. Included in that $37 screening kit is the test itself, the pathology, and also notification to the patient and to their nominated doctor about the results of that test. Thank you for the question. I take it in the spirit in which it was intended—a very worthwhile raising of a very important issue.

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