Lung Cancer Policy

Partnerships working towards a brighter future

The Lung Foundation Australia are an implementation partner of the

National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP)

. We are committed to working with the Australian Government in the rollout of this new cancer screening program. We recognise the importance of equitable access, cultural safety, and co-design, reducing stigma, supporting smoking cessation efforts, and education/ training for health professionals. As part of the implementation, Lung Foundation Australia will be establishing the Lung Cancer Screening Consumer Committee to ensure the NLCSP is guided by consumer advice.

A journey to achieving a National Lung Cancer Screening Program

As a result of engagement by consumer advocates and Lung Foundation Australia, the then Minister for Health tasked Cancer Australia, in October 2019, with assessing the feasibility of conducting a lung cancer screening service in Australia. Information on the Cancer Australia enquiry can be found 

here

.

Lung Foundation Australia made a submission in support of a national screening program which you can read

read here

.

Cancer Australia’s report

recommended lung cancer screening in Australia and found it would be cost-effective and save over 12,000 lives over the first 10 years of the program.

Lung Foundation Australia launched the

Lung Cancer Blueprint: The Next Breath

, which recommends the Australian Government fund and implement a targeted national lung cancer screening program.

The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) reviewed the evidence and

approved the feasibility

of a targeted national lung cancer screening program in Australia.

In May 2023, the Australian Government announced their budget, which included $264m over four years for lung cancer screening, and $101m per year thereafter.

Read our statement

following the funding announcement of this life-saving program.

The work doesn’t stop here. We are committed to working with the Australian Government in the implementation of this new cancer screening program. We recognise the importance of equitable access, cultural safety and co-design, reducing stigma, supporting smoking cessation efforts, education and training for health professionals, and supporting Australians through the healthcare system.

The Lung Cancer Screening Consumer Committee

The Lung Foundation convenes and actively runs the Lung Cancer Screening Consumer Committee, integral to the implementation of the screening program. This dedicated committee meets regularly to test and evaluate communications and resources for the new screening program, ensuring they meet the diverse needs of individuals at high risk for lung cancer. The high-risk vulnerable populations include people in rural and remote locations, people living with a disability, people living with a mental health condition, people from non-English speaking backgrounds and people from the LGBTQIA+ community. People who currently smoke and have a former history of smoking are also represented in this group to provide input into smoking cessation components of the program. The committee leverages their collective experiences and insights to prepare for the program’s rollout, striving for better outcomes for participants and their loved ones.

What is the NLCSP and when will it commence?

In July 2025 the Australian Government will make the program a reality with the Lung Cancer Screening being funded and set to start screening eligible populations.

The NLCSP is a secondary prevention strategy which aims to detect lung cancers earlier when treatment is likely to be more effective. At risk Australians will be able to have a free lung scan (a low dose computed tomography also called low dose CT) every two years. To be eligible for screening, individuals must be aged between 50 and 70 years of age, have a history of cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years, and, if former smokers, had quit within the previous 10 years. The program will maximise prevention and early detection of lung cancer and achieve equity in cancer outcomes for vulnerable groups including First Nations people, people in rural and remote locations, people living with a disability, people living with a mental health condition, people from non-English speaking backgrounds and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.

Find Out More