Health screening task force to re-launch next spring after report calls for reform

A radiologist uses a magnifying glass to check mammograms for breast cancer on May 6, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Damian Dovarganes

OTTAWA — A panel of experts is calling on the Public Health Agency of Canada to modernize and reform the task force responsible for preventive health guidelines for things like cancer screening.

The Task Force for Preventive Health Care provides clinical guidelines for family doctors about screening and prevention measures for cancer and other diseases.

The federal government launched an expert review after the task force came under fire last spring for rejecting expert advice to lower the minimum age for mammograms from 50 to 40.

Health Minister Marjorie Michel says she’s asked the public health agency to work on the panel’s recommendations and ensure the modernized task force is fully operational by next April.

Then-health minister Mark Holland suspended the task force’s work in early March while the review was underway.

The expert report says the task force needs a clear mandate and should adopt a “living guidelines” model that takes into account the latest research.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press