HAVE YOUR SAY: Do we need a national screening programme for COPD?
The UK National Screening Committee is consulting on whether there should be a national screening programme for COPD after an expert review recommended there was not the evidence for national screening. The consultation closes on 26 July 2013.
The case for a national screening programme for is being considered by he UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) as part of its 3-year cycle of reviewing areas for screening. After each review the UKNSC makes a recommendation to the 4 countries of the UK as to which screening programmes should be implemented.
- No RCTs have been conducted on screening for COPD
- The evidence on outcomes of treatments and interventions for early stage COPD are still limited
- The evidence regarding whether spirometry prompts people to quit smoking is inconclusive
- Challenges still exist with the test options for a population-wide screening programme
- Current prevention activity including the national COPD and tobacco strategies are yet to be fully implemented
- Cost-effective evidence does exist for case-finding symptomatic individuals with more developed COPD and this should continue
> Download Sally Cartwright's expert review on screening for COPD
The UKNSC is now seeking public feedback on the case for a national screening programme for COPD.
Details of the consultation, how to respond and the UKNSC process can be found at screening.nhs.uk/copd
Responses should be emailed to screening.evidence@nhs.net by 26 July 2013
