Cancer screening in Ireland

BowelScreen,<ref name="Bowel Scrutiny"> O'Regan, Eilish,

 Breast and bowel tests now under scrutiny as public fear screening Full text, 
 Irish Independent, 
  
 2 May 2018,

</ref> BreastCheck<ref name="BreastCheck claims"> McQuinn, Cormac,

 State Claims Agency dealing with four alleged misdiagnosis cases involving BreastCheck, TDs told Full text, 
 Irish Independent, 
  
 10 May 2018,

</ref> and CervicalCheck<ref name=Emma1> Power, Jack,

 ‘The doctor told me the smear results I got in 2013 were wrong’ Full text, 
 , 
  
 1 May 2018,

</ref> are cancer screening programmes organised by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the Republic of Ireland.

BowelScreen

BowelScreen is the national bowel cancer screening programme.<ref name="Bowel Scrutiny"/> It was launched in November 2012 by Minister for Health James Reilly, with the eventual aim of providing bi-annual screening to men and women aged 55–74.<ref> Cullen, Paul,

 Colorectal Screening for Cancer Introduced Full text, 
 The Irish Times, 
  
 29 January 2013,

(subscription required)</ref>

BreastCheck

BreastCheck is the national breast cancer screening programme.<ref name="BreastCheck claims"/> It was initially founded under Micheál Martin's tenure as Minister for Health and Children in October 2000 as a pilot in a limited number of health boards.<ref name="percentage"> Healy, Alison,

 Screening for cancer taken up by 73% of women Full text, 
 The Irish Times, 
  
 17 October 2004,

(subscription required)</ref><ref> Kelleher, Lynne,

 Ten-Minute Test That Could Save Your Life; Mobile Screening Units Join Battle to Beat Breast Cancer Full text, 
 Irish Daily Mirror, 
  
 30 March 1999,

(subscription required)</ref><ref> Clarkson, Paul,

 Disease Kills 700 Irish Women Each Year Full text, 
 Irish Daily Mirror, 
  
 19 April 2001,

(subscription required)</ref> Over 70% of the women invited to take part in the screening in the first year, accepted.<ref name="percentage"/>

CervicalCheck

CervicalCheck is the national cervical screening programme.<ref name="women206"/> It was launched in September 2008 as the public name of the National Cancer Screening Service.<ref> Vousden, Petrina,

 Cancer Screen Test Flop Full text, 
 Irish Daily Mail, 
  
 3 September 2008,

(subscription required)</ref><ref name = "smear fear"> ,

 Smear fears Full text, 
 the Irish Times, 
  
 20 May 2008,

</ref> In May 2008, then Chief Executive Officer Tony O'Brien dismissed claims that misdiagnoses would result from the use of US-based lab Quest Diagnostics.<ref name = "smear fear"/>

2018

Main article: 2018 CervicalCheck cancer controversy

On 26 April 2018 the HSE confirmed that 206 women developed cervical cancer after having a screening test which was subsequently deemed to be potentially inaccurate on lookback, once a woman presented with a confirmed diagnosis of Cervical Cancer and given the known limitations of screening using smear technology.<ref name="women206"> ,

 Smear test scandal: 206 women develop cancer after all-clear Full text, 
 Irish Independent, 
  
 27 April 2018,

</ref> In May, HSE director-general Tony O’Brien took temporary leave of absence from the board of a US medical company amid renewed calls for him to stand aside from his position due to the ongoing controversy.<ref> ,

 HSE chief Tony O’Brien to take leave of absence from US board Full text, 
 Irish Times, 
  
 3 May 2015,

</ref> Tony O'Brien announced his resignation as director-general of the HSE with effect from close of business on 11 May.<ref>

HSE boss Tony O’Brien steps down in wake of CervicalCheck scandal(link). {{{website}}}.

10 May 2018.

</ref>

External links

• https://www.bowelscreen.ie/
• https://www.breastcheck.ie/
• http://www.cervicalcheck.ie/

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