Bowel cancer screening changes ‘driven by ideology, not facts’

Collin Tukuitonga

10 Mar 2025

RNZ

The government is being accused of sacrificing peoples’ lives for ideology by delaying bowel cancer screening for Māori and Pacific people from 50 to 58.

Pacific doctors say Health Minister Simeon Brown’s decision to make bowel screening free at the universal age of 58 for all New Zealanders goes against research data and evidence.

Sir Collin Tukuitonga, co-director of the Centre for Pacific and Global Health at Auckland University says the policy change for the bowel cancer screening age is unsophisticated and deeply flawed.

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HEALTH SERVICES AND SYSTEMS

Covering developments in the provision, funding and organisation of health care services.

EQUITY

Exploring the impacts of the health system on minorities within the population, notably including Māori, Pacifica, Asians and LGBTQI.

DRUGS, DEVICE AND DIAGNOSTICS

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DIGITAL HEALTH

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TE TIRITI

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