Mayo Minister requests expansion of BreastCheck service

A Mayo Minister has requested that the BreastCheck service be extended to include women over 40 years and over 70 years of age.

Minister of State, Alan Dillon, said women in Ireland are currently offered free breast screening if they are aged between 50 to 69 with BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme.

He elaborated: “I am now requesting that this service be provided to women aged over 40 years and beyond the current 69 years.

"There is currently a backlog of screening times with women under 50 currently unable to even register with BreastCheck, a service which was available up to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I understand that BreastCheck aim to provide an appointment to women over 50 within two years but it is now taking three or four years for women to receive an appointment for a mammogram.

“Studies by the health Technology Assessments (HTA) show that on average, 3,400 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Ireland.

"Up to 17% of all cases are in those aged 40-49, while 9% of those diagnosed with breast cancer are aged 70-74.

"New guidance issued by the US preventative Services Task Force recommends that all women should have breast cancer screening at age 40 and this should be continued until age 74.

“The BreastCheck programme was expanded in 2021 to include women up to the age of 69.

"I am now asking the Minister for Health to engage with Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) to consider the evidence for a further expansion of the age range eligibility for the BreastCheck programme as soon as possible,” he added.