The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published its health technology assessment (HTA) of extending BowelScreen to those aged 50 to 54 years. The assessment was requested by the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) to provide evidence-based advice to inform a recommendation on the extension of the BowelScreen programme to those aged 50 to 54.

BowelScreen, the National Bowel Screening Programme, commenced in 2012. As of April 2026, people aged 57 to 71 are invited for screening every two years. The programme is currently planned for expansion to those aged 55 to 74 years.
HIQA’s assessment found consistent evidence that screening from the age of 50 reduces colorectal cancer mortality compared to no screening. The assessment also found that screening from the age of 50 is likely to be cost effective compared to screening from the age of 55.

Dr Máirín Ryan, HIQA's Deputy CEO and Director of Health Technology Assessment said:

“Our assessment examined the available evidence and we have advised NSAC that there are clear clinical benefits to expanding the programme to those aged 50-54 years old. However, we also highlighted capacity issues that currently exist within the services required for bowel screening.”

Dr Ryan continued:

“By lowering the age, the population eligible for screening would be increased by 27%. Therefore, we advised that an extension of the BowelScreen programme to those aged 50 to 54 must be done in a way that does not negatively impact the current screening programme or the wider symptomatic services. This would require a phased approach to implementation, and significant forward planning and investment in staffing and training to ensure sufficient resources are in place for the extension of screening to those aged 50 to 54.”

Bowel cancer, or colorectal cancer, refers to cancer that occurs in the colon and rectum. Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) in men and the third most common cancer in women. In Ireland, bowel cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death.

Bowel screening involves the use of a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) to detect hidden blood in the stool, which may indicate bowel cancer. People who receive a positive FIT result are referred for colonoscopy. Depending on the results of the colonoscopy, they either return to routine screening, enter a surveillance pathway, or may be referred for treatment.
This assessment was informed by a public consultation run by HIQA between July and August 2025, seeking feedback from the public. All feedback received was carefully considered in the final report.

Ends.

For further information please contact:

Caoimhe O’Connell, Communications Manager, caoconnell@hiqa.ie 

Notes for editor:

• The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published the following documents:
  • Health technology assessment of extending BowelScreen to those aged 50 to 54 years.
  • Statement of outcomes of the public consultation for this HTA.
• The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) was established in 2019 as an independent advisory committee to advise the Minister for Health and Department of Health on all new proposals for population-based screening programmes and revisions to existing programmes. Further information on the NSAC is available here.
• HIQA has been requested by the Department of Health to provide evidence synthesis support and evidence-based advice to the NSAC under an agreed work programme.
• Bowel cancer typically develops slowly. Symptoms are often subtle or absent at the earlier stages of cancer development.
• On average, around 2,750 new bowel cancer cases are diagnosed in Ireland each year. There are around 1,000 bowel cancer-related deaths in Ireland each year.
• Risk factors for bowel cancer include increasing age, male sex, a family or personal history of bowel cancer, personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, a diet high in red and processed meats, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
• BowelScreen, the National Bowel Screening Programme, commenced in October 2012 aiming to offer screening to people aged 55 to 74 years on a two-yearly cycle. As of April 2026, BowelScreen invites people aged 57 to 71 for screening, with a long-standing commitment to expand this to the original aim of 55 to 74.
• Screening serves to identify people in an apparently healthy population who have asymptomatic disease. Bowel screening is done with the aim of identifying cancer at an early stage, when treatment is most successful.
• Screening for bowel cancer can also help to identify and remove pre- cancerous polyps. Removal of such polyps can prevent the development of bowel cancer altogether.

About HIQA

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is the independent body that promotes safety and quality in the provision of health and social care services in Ireland.

Through its regulation, standard setting and evidence to inform decision-making functions, HIQA supports health and social care services to consistently deliver excellent standards of care and the best possible health and social care outcomes for all.