Newfoundland faces criticism for delays in lowering breast cancer screening age despite earlier commitment
Five months after announcing plans to lower the recommended age for breast cancer screenings from 50 to 40, Newfoundland and Labrador have yet to implement the change.
This delay has drawn sharp criticism from Jennie Dale, co-founder of Dense Breasts Canada, who said it reflects a lack of care for women’s well-being.
According to CBC News, Dale expressed her concerns following a recent meeting with provincial health officials, leaving her “angered and worried.”
“Our recent meeting showed that progress is very slow, if any, and we are moving a bit backwards,” Dale said last week.
In May, Premier Andrew Furey had announced ‘immediate action’ based on the Canadian Cancer Society’s recommendation for provinces and territories to start screening for breast cancer at age 40.
This change would make 34,000 additional women eligible for the provincial breast cancer screening program, but the necessary resources have not yet been put in place.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health stated that Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services has been working on the initiative and expects changes “in the coming months.”
Dale believes this is insufficient, saying, “The women of Newfoundland do not have the same chance at finding breast cancer early as women in rest of the country. They're definitely going to fall through the cracks.”
As of October 8, eight provinces across Canada have implemented or announced plans to implement breast cancer screening starting at age 40 or 45.
Quebec has not announced any intentions to change, and Newfoundland and Labrador remains the only province that has not followed through after announcing the change.
“Women's health is not being prioritized in Newfoundland. So, it was very ironic to me that this was well-being week, when this was the week that I spoke to leadership and was told no timeline,” Dale said.
She also mentioned that while there is a shortage of mammogram technologists, other provinces have found ways to address resource challenges and proceed with the screening changes.
John Hogan, Newfoundland and Labrador’s health minister, said the province is working on the issue.
Speaking to CBC News, Hogan confirmed that Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services has been directed to purchase two new mammography machines—one for St. John’s and one for Grand Falls-Windsor—to handle the expected increase in patients.
The cost of these machines is estimated to be around $805,000.
“That is the main thing. I mean, you need the equipment. If we just have people coming in now with that 10-year [age] difference, obviously we don't want to clog up the system,” Hogan said.
He added that policy implementation takes time, but they hope to have everything in place by early 2025.
Jerry Earle, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees, representing the province’s technologists, acknowledged the challenges of adding 34,000 women to the screening program.
He stressed the importance of adequate staffing, saying, “They are working short staffed. They are expected to put in additional time. If we're going to talk about extending hours of service... we need additional resources. We can't tax that onto existing staff that are already meeting excessive workloads.”
When asked about Dale’s comments on the province’s failure to prioritize women’s health, Hogan reiterated that Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to reducing the screening age and making self-referrals available.
He emphasized that early detection leads to less invasive treatment and better health outcomes for women.
Dale also called for the province to improve the communication of breast density information to women undergoing screening. Dense breast tissue can obscure cancer cells in mammograms, but Newfoundland and Labrador only informs women if they fall into the highest density category.
Dale warned this leaves many women uninformed, creating what she described as a ‘dangerous’ and ‘discriminatory’ situation.
“They can be walking around with breast cancer and think they're fine because their mammogram was fine. So, it's a dangerous situation, it's a discriminatory situation, and Newfoundland is behind the entire country on that issue,” she said.
When asked about changes to breast density reporting, Hogan did not commit but stated that the province would continue to consider best practices for health information sharing.
