Three million screening kits help find thousands of cancers
New Zealand’s expanded bowel screening programme has distributed over three million kits since 2017, detecting thousands of cancers early and lowering the screening age to 56.
Health Minister Simeon Brown announced that more than three million bowel screening kits have been distributed nationwide since the programme began in 2017, resulting in over 3,300 bowel cancers detected. Over 40 per cent of these cancers were found at an early stage, when treatment is often more effective. The programme has been progressively lowering the starting age for free screening, with the most recent reduction to 56 announced in Budget 2026.
The Government began lowering the screening age from 60 to 58 in 2025, with 96 per cent of newly eligible 58- and 59-year-olds invited to screen in the first tranche. A second tranche launched on 23 March 2025 has already invited more than half of eligible participants. Since the age change, 1,320 people have returned positive results, leading to 37 cancers detected earlier than they would have been under the previous age limit.
Budget 2026 includes a further reduction in the screening age to 56, making more than 200,000 additional New Zealanders eligible for free screening. This change is expected to prevent 638 bowel cancers and save 522 lives over the next 25 years. The Government states the expansion will continue as quickly and safely as possible to match Australia’s screening age.
From July, a new home test for people with bowel cancer symptoms, known as the FIT for symptomatic pathway, has been rolled out nationwide. The test helps clinicians prioritise colonoscopies for those most in need, improving access to specialist care and supporting the programme’s expansion.