People in their 40s are now eligible for breast cancer screening through self referrals.
The provincial government first announced they would be expanding screening criteria based on a change to national standards last spring.
Now, anyone between the ages of 40 and 74 can self-refer. Within the next few months an option to self-refer will be available on MyHealthNL.
Government says an additional 34,000 people are eligible for screening, and a “significant expansion of infrastructure and resources” had to take place, including $800,000 for two new mammography units in St. John’s and Grand Falls-Windsor.
Gregory Doyle, the provincial manager of breast cancer screening and cancer registries, and Health Minister John Hogan (VOCM News)
In terms of what wait times could look like, Gregory Doyle, the provincial manager of breast cancer screening and cancer registries, says that is hard to nail down.
He says the concept of wait times “doesn’t make any sense” for cancer screening, because they are trying to confirm the absence of disease.
He says there are a set of openings and availabilities that they will need to monitor moving forward. Ultimately, people would be waiting a couple of months from the submission of an application and the actual screening.
