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Rotary bowel cancer screening program

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Rotary’s lifesaving bowel cancer awareness initiative will receive a boost this year with the introduction of Clinical Genomics’ faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) in Bowelscan and BowelCare kits across Australia for the May and June campaign period.

Bowelscan secretary, Richmond Manyweathers says Rotary’s not-for-profit program aims to raise bowel cancer awareness by selling low cost test kits in community pharmacies.

“Every year we call on Australians over 50 to take the opportunity to do a simple test that could save their lives. For the first time this year we are proud to be offering Clinical Genomics high quality, Australian-made tests in our kits,” Mr Manyweathers said.

BowelCare coordinator Rod Chippindale says the program will be much easier for Rotary to run under the new partnership.

“Clinical Genomics will handle testing and reporting services, which takes the leg work out of an initiative that spans so many pharmacies across the country. We can now focus on working with Australian community pharmacists to take this program to the next level,” said Mr Chippindale.

Gastroenterologist, Dr Howard Hope said the new kits boost a program already playing a valuable role in detecting bowel cancer.

“Bowel cancer is Australia’s second biggest cancer killer,” said Dr Hope. “The combined efforts of Rotary’s BowelCare and Bowelscan initiatives encourage around 150,000 Australians to test annually each year, detecting a large number of bowel cancer cases that otherwise may not have been found early.”


“The Clinical Genomics test is highly regarded by health professionals and will further improve these outcomes,” said Dr Hope.

Clinical Genomics Vice President Asia Pacific, Warren Bingham said he was very pleased to partner with Rotary on the initiative.

“It is great to be working with such a well-respected Australian organisation. We clearly have a shared passionate interest in reducing the impact of bowel cancer in Australia. By working together we can leverage the very latest cancer screening technology. We are thrilled to be playing our part in ensuring the success of Rotary’s life saving health initiative” said Mr Bingham.

The test being integrated into the Rotary program was developed in Australia by Clinical Genomics. It is based on the version currently distributed to Australian healthcare professionals and to Quest Laboratories in the USA. Approximately three million faecal immunochemical tests are distributed globally each year by Clinical Genomics. New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia Rotary districts will adopt the new tests in 2015.

(Source: National Bowel Scan)


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Dates

Posted On: 1 April, 2015
Modified On: 21 July, 2015

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