The Government is lowering the eligibility age for bowel cancer screening tests from 60 to 58, as part of a wider plan to progressively align with Australia.
Health Minister Simeon Brown said the change would come from redirected funding of $36 million over four years set aside by the previous government to lower the eligibility age from 60 to 50 for Māori and Pacific people.
“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.”
In a pre-election debate, Christopher Luxon said National would drop the age of free screenings and that it would be a priority for his Health Minister.
Calls grew for the Government to take action after it was not mentioned in their 100-day plan.
“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,” Brown said today.
He said this is a major first step to aligning New Zealand’s screening rate with Australia, as funding and access to additional colonoscopy resource becomes available.
Australia’s eligibility age is 45.
“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,” Brown said.
At the same time, the Government has also approved additional funding for “targeted initiatives” which aim to increase screening rates among 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,” Brown added.
The lowering of the age to 58 will take part in two stages.
The first stage will begin in two Health New Zealand regions in October, followed by the other two in March 2026.
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.
ACT leader David Seymour said lowering the age of eligibility is “need not race” in action, and will save lives.
“ACT campaigned against targeting services based on race, because this practice was unfair, inefficient, and led to perverse outcomes.
“Bowel cancer screening was a classic example. In 2022, Labour set a lower eligibility age for Māori/Pacific people accessing the National Bowel Screening Programme.”
He said bowel cancer does not discriminate on race, and added Māori and Pacific peoples “have a similar risk” of developing bowel cancer compared to other population groups at a given age.
“It was true that a higher proportion of bowel cancers occur in Māori and Pacific peoples at a younger age, but that is because the overall demographics of those groups are younger. It has always been age that determines bowel cancer risk, not race.”
‘Going to increase inequities’
Meanwhile, Hei Ahuru Mowai – National Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa chairwoman Nina Scott said she was “bewildered” at the change, and said it is “going to increase inequities” between Māori and non-Māori.
“Most Māori who will get bowel cancer are bowel cancer diagnosed before age 60.
“We are calling for and have called for the bowel cancer screening age starts at age 50 for Māori and Pacific peoples.
“The Government knows it will increase inequities in access to screening and bowel cancer death rates. We’re calling this a really good example of institutionalised racism.”
Cancer Society of New Zealand director and member of Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa George Laking said the evidence provided from Brown was “very selective”.
“We consider bowel cancer screening to be an absolutely wonderful development for this country that is life saving, no doubt about that.
“The issue is that proportionally, the way they are doing it is going to save more lives within non-Māori and non-pacific communities than within Māori and Pacific communities.
“Because bowel cancer is happening at a younger age for Māori and Pacific, that is the reason why the screening programme should be available at a younger age for Māori and Pacific.”
Bowel Cancer New Zealand said it had presented proposals to Brown which detailed how to have parity with Australia’s screening age, and how to ensure equitable access for Māori and Pacific communities.
“Today’s announcement by the Government to lower the screening age from 60 to 58 will provide access to around 120,000 New Zealanders.
“However, this decision leaves over 900,000 Kiwis without the protection that is standard care across the Tasman. Additionally, more than 100,000 Māori and Pasifika, who were set to gain access from age 50 under previous plans, are now excluded – marking a step backwards for health equity.”
“It is indefensible for more Kiwis to continue losing their lives to this preventable, treatable disease. Screening is a simple, cost-effective solution that saves lives.”
Bowel Cancer New Zealand chief executive Peter Huskinson urged the Government to continue working on a “more ambitious roadmap”.
“Going further and faster is operationally feasible, financially affordable, and esential to stem the tide of preventable deaths,” he said.
More information about the national bowel screening programme can be found here.
