MPs call for bowel cancer funding boost

15:36 AEDT Tue Mar 13 2012

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A $15 million investment in expanding bowel cancer screening could save up to 4000 Australian lives each year and up to $1 billion.

Independent MPs Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie on Tuesday called on the federal government to expand its National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in the upcoming budget to include Australians aged 60 and 70 in the program, at a cost of $15 million.

Mr Oakeshott says it's a "no-brainer" and he will meet with Treasurer Wayne Swan to urge him to include $15 million in the May budget to expand the screening program.

The program now provides tests to all Australians when they turn 50, 55 and 65, but the three independent MPs want that expanded to include 60 and 70 year olds.

Mr Windsor said $15 million was a modest investment when Australia's overall bowel cancer medical bill was estimated at about $1 billion each year.

"And you cannot put a dollar value on the thousands of Australians who die of bowel cancer every year, despite bowel cancer being easy to treat if it is detected early," he said.

Mr Wilkie said the program's expansion was overdue.

"It is unacceptable that such an effective public health measure continues to be held back simply because of budget concerns," he said, adding the data showed it was cost-effective.

Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer of Australians behind lung cancer. It claims close to 80 lives every week.

The federal budget will be handed down on May 8.

AA

Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8434428/mps-call-for-bowel-cancer-funding-boost

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