Faroe Islands have no plans to expand breast cancer screening

The Faroe Islands have no concrete plans to expand breast cancer screening, although the move would cost several million kroner, Kringvarp Føroya (KVF) reports.

Expanding the screening offer to include women aged 45 to 49 would cost an additional 2.3 million kroner a year. Including women aged 40 to 49 would add 3.5 million kroner annually. The initial investment would be three million kroner, and the expansion would require new premises and more staff.

Women aged 50 to 69 are currently offered mammography screening every two years. The programme has been in place since 2017 and follows professional guidelines from the Danish Health Authority.

Health Minister Eyðdis Hartmann Niclasen gave the information in response to MP Ruth Vang. Denmark, Norway and Finland offer the same age range, while Sweden and Iceland screen women aged 40 to 74. The 2022 cancer plan recommends screening women aged 45 to 74.

The Cancer Council has not made a recommendation on breast cancer screening, the minister said. She plans to discuss with the council whether mammography screening should be prioritised during the current parliamentary term.