Heart Diseases: Young People
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what action his Department is taking to encourage cardiac screening in young people.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
The Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. Where the committee is confident that offering screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.
The UK NSC last reviewed screening for the conditions associated with sudden cardiac death in people aged under 39 years old in 2019. The conclusion of that review was that population screening should not be offered, as research showed that current tests are not accurate enough to use on young people with no symptoms.
The Department and NHS England currently have no specific ongoing campaigns, or plans to conduct a campaign, to encourage cardiac screening in young people as this would go against the current evidence-based advice.
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