Statement regarding the New Zealand Bowel Screening Programme New Zealand has one of the highest rates of colorectal (bowel) cancer in the world, with approximately 3200 new cases a year and over 1200 deaths from the disease. The NZ Bowel Screening Programme (NZBSP) has undertaken a pilot study in Waitemata in Auckland from 2012 to 2017 to gauge the effectiveness of a screening test which detects traces of blood in faeces (bowel motions), and is called the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT). If traces of blood are detected, the patient is referred on for a colonoscopy (camera test of the bowel). There is clear evidence that screening of this type reduces death from bowel cancer (Cochrane Library, 2007). The Waitemata pilot study has demonstrated findings indicating an expected similar reduction in bowel cancer deaths.
