Draft health technology assessment of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in men: Public consultation

Status: Published on

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an abnormal widening of the abdominal section of the aorta (the main blood vessel that leads away from the heart). Over time, the pressure from blood flowing through the aorta can cause the AAA to expand. If an AAA bursts, it can lead to massive internal bleeding, which is often fatal. AAA often develops slowly and without symptoms, making it difficult to detect. The most common risk factors for AAA include male sex, increasing age, family history of AAA, smoking, and cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension. The prevalence of AAA is low until approximately 60 years of age and increases steadily thereafter. In the absence of screening, AAA is typically diagnosed incidentally or as a medical emergency following rupture. Given that AAA typically has no symptoms and the severe consequences of AAA rupture, early detection through screening could reduce AAA-related morbidity and mortality.

Following a request from the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC), HIQA undertook a health technology assessment (HTA) of screening for AAA in men in Ireland. The HTA assessed the clinical effectiveness, safety, cost effectiveness, budget impact, ethical aspects, and organisational considerations associated with the introduction of a population-based AAA screening programme for men in Ireland. A draft report describing the results of this assessment has been published for public consultation. 

The aim of this consultation is to obtain feedback from stakeholders with a broad range of experience who could potentially be affected by the introduction of a screening programme for AAA in men in Ireland. Input from diverse stakeholder groups is essential to ensuring that the information provided to support decision-making by the NSAC is comprehensive, balanced and evidence-based.

Interested parties are asked to review the draft report and submit any comments or additional information that may be relevant to the assessment and to decision-making regarding the introduction of a screening programme for AAA in men. The consultation period will be open until 12 June 2025. The easiest way to give your feedback is to complete the online survey.

Alternatively, you can fill out a PDF or Word version of the consultation form available below, and e-mail the completed form to consultation@hiqa.ie, or send by post to:

Health Information and Quality Authority,
Public consultation on HTA of AAA screening for men
George's Court,
George's Lane,
Smithfield,
Dublin 7,
D07 E98Y.

Following the consultation, the report will be updated based on the feedback received. The final report will then be provided as advice to the NSAC to inform its recommendation to the Minister for Health regarding whether or not a population-based screening for AAA for men should be introduced in Ireland. 

The final HTA report and the Statement of Outcomes (a summary of the feedback received and HIQA’s responses to it) will be published on our website.

More details can be found in the following press release.