Home / Health / New Health Panel to Tackle Cancer Screening
New Health Panel to Tackle Cancer Screening
13 Jun
Summary
- National advisory committee on preventive health services established.
- Dr. David Keegan to lead the new committee.
- Focus on updating national guidelines, including breast cancer screening.
The federal government has launched the National Advisory Committee on Preventive Health Services (NACPHS), appointing Dr. David Keegan, a family physician from Calgary, as its leader. This new 14-member committee succeeds a 2009 task force that faced criticism for outdated research, especially concerning breast cancer screening recommendations.
The NACPHS will re-examine preventive health guidance, prioritizing urgent topics like breast cancer screening. Dr. Keegan emphasized the committee's commitment to transparency and a more 'modular and nimble' approach to guideline updates, aiming for more frequent revisions as new information emerges.
Advocates, like breast cancer survivor Natalie Kwadrans, welcome the initiative, hoping for swift updates to national guidelines for various conditions, including breast, prostate, and depression screening. The committee's work is expected to impact all Canadians by ensuring up-to-date preventive health advice.
