UK and French Market for Fecal Occult Blood Testing

With colorectal cancer developing as the second-most common cause of death in France and the United Kingdom, governments and doctors are becoming more active in addressing detection and treatment for the disease, according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan (Palo Alto, CA, USA), an international consulting firm.

Various strategies are being employed to raise the profile of colorectal cancer (CRC), including the use of screening and media campaigns. Governments have responded by investing in prevention as well as treatment. The United Kingdom has allocated around U.S.$55 million to support a national screening program, and the French government has pledged about $20 million for pilot screening studies. They both consider early identification and more optimized treatment as vital for reducing morbidity and mortality. Fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) have a significant role in French pilot studies and are likely to be the principal screening tool in the UK national screening program.

Unfortunately, FOBTs are less acceptable to certain sections of society, including those from materially deprived areas and those from certain ethnic sub-groups, such as the Indian sub-continent. Raising awareness and educating people about the disease may make people more receptive to screening. In France, the two main impediments to mass screening are the weak sensitivity of the only FOBT being used at present (Hemoccult II) and the difficulty in getting many people to participate. To help address this, healthcare organizations are distributing free literature and advice at doctors' offices and pharmacies. Another aid will be the completion of pilot studies in 22 French departments providing a more detailed patient database that is stratified by age and risk category.

The United Kingdom is launching a national screening program in April 2006. Although labs have been using manual FOBTs, this rise in testing will no doubt lead to a search for automated solutions.

"However, in the medium term (next 3-4 years), the best practices from the likes of the national breast screening program and CRC initiatives across Europe are likely to be integrated into developing a tailor-made program for France,” noted Frost & Sullivan analyst Alex Wong.




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