On February 5, the Ministry of Health of the Madrid Region discovered an “incident” in the communication of results by letter from the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program (Previcolon), which affected about 500 people. The Ministry of Health stressed in a statement that “there was no diagnostic error” in the results of the patients’ tests (detection of hidden blood in the stool) and that the “correct results” were always recorded in the patients’ medical records.
According to the Ministry of Health, the incident occurred while results were being sent via a letter received by about 500 patients. La Sexta television network reported yesterday that last February, about 571 residents of Madrid received false messages about colon cancer screening, as false negative results were reported for patients who may have the disease and need further tests, and even for those who have not yet been screened. A network program interviewed an affected woman.
In response to this information, the Ministry confirms that from the moment the company responsible for sending the messages was notified of the incident (on February 5), each of these patients was contacted by phone, SMS, or through primary health care professionals. The situation was resolved between February 5 and 12, a week after notice, and “all patients who received the letter were informed of what had happened.”
The Ministry stressed that “the clinical process has not been changed,” and there has been no change in the performance of the necessary supplementary tests. Health reported that, thanks to the monitoring and quality systems of the Madrid Health Services Authority (SERMAS), health workers contacted at least two hundred of these patients and informed them of the correct results that were recorded in their medical records before the company was notified of its error.
The Community of Madrid affirms its “absolute confidence” in this program, which has more than eight years of experience and which in 2024 alone conducted more than 350,000 tests. It is noteworthy that citizens can verify the reliability of this process.
Colon cancer is the tumor with the highest incidence among men and women in Spain. In 2024, 41,167 new cases will be diagnosed, and although nine out of 10 people can survive the disease if detected in time, it has the second highest death rate, after lung cancer. The offer is mandatory in all communities for residents aged 50 to 69 years, but its coverage could be improved when it comes to raising awareness, facilitating access or issuing reminders. Participation is unequal: only Navarra and the Basque Country exceed 70%.
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