"Debbie and Tim Short, who seven years ago today presented a Petition to Parliament of 125,000 signatures for the
expansion of the Breast Screening age, congratulate the Minister of Health, Tony Ryall, on a recent announcement. In a
Press Statement Mr Ryall encouraged women over 40 years to register for regular mammograms, and for those aged between
45 and 69 these are free through BreastScreen Aotearoa. The Petition in 2003 called for the Breast Screening age to be
extended to 40 - 70 years, which as a result, was expanded in 2004 from the previous 50 - 64 years to the current 45 -
69 years.
This is the first time a Minister of Health has publicly recommended women to seek mammograms at 40 years of age, which
is younger than the official Breast Screening programme. There has been considerable debate over age and this
unequivocal statement has given a clear lead to women without symptoms when they should first start having regular
mammograms."
ENDS