§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What have been the results of the breast cancer screening and testing service, and what are the prospects of a screening and testing service for prostate cancer and prostate related diseases.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonThe results of the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme are contained inThe National Health Service Breast Screening Programme Review 1996 (UK results) and the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin 1997/3 Breast Screening Programme, England: 1995–96. Copies of both these documents are in the Library.
New review evidence on screening for prostate cancer was published earlier this year. The research (commissioned through the NHS Research and Development Programme) rigorously evaluated screening for prostate cancer to assess whether it does more harm than good. The National Screening Committee (NSC) scrutinised and considered most carefully the evidence on the accuracy of current technologies to screen for prostate cancer and how good they are at finding out who has the disease and who has not, whether or not there is effective treatment for those affected by the disease and the psychological and physical harm that could result from population screening. Patient and ethical issues were also considered.
The NSC concluded that: "there is not yet a case for population screening as there is no evidence of benefit but definite evidence of psychological and physical harm resulting from population screening. The committee advise that a population screening programme should not be provided by the NHS."
Department of Health Ministers have accepted the recommendations of the NSC, and an Executive Letter (EL(97)12) was issued to the National Health Service on 23 June. A copy is in the Library.