Health Ministry lowers age for free colonoscopies

The Ministry of Health has lowered the age limit for free colonoscopies by five years to age 50 in a bid to get more people to undergo preventative checks for colon cancer, ČT24 reports.

Czech insurance companies currently invite a million people a year to get preventive screening via letters. Only about 15 percent undergo the examination.

Over 7,000 cases of colon cancer are reported annually in the Czech Republic. In the early stages of the disease, few patients experience any warning signs.