Response to June 13, 2024 HESA [House of Commons Standing committee on Health] Motion

Study of Breast Cancer Screening Guideline

Motion:

That, given that the federally created Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care decided not to lower the breast cancer screening age guidelines, and that, Breast Cancer Canada said it was “deeply concerned” by the task force’s guidelines, and so were the majority of witnesses, the committee report to the House that the decision by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care should be immediately reversed and breast cancer screening should be extended to women in their 40s, as this will help save lives; that the Minister of Health urge the task force to go back to the drawing board and revisit the guidelines based on the latest science; and that the Public Health Agency of Canada table to this committee the parameters given to the task force to update breast cancer screening guidelines.

Response:

*Note: this response is specific to the highlighted section of the motion above.

The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Task Force) is an independent arms‑length body of up to 15 clinicians and methodologists. Given the arms‑length and independent nature of the Task Force, PHAC does not provide parameters for the development of clinical screening guidelines, including the update to the breast cancer screening guideline draft recommendations.