The Unified Health System (SUS) has incorporated the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) into the colorectal cancer screening program. This test is intended for individuals, both men and women, who are asymptomatic and are between the ages of 50 and 75, and should be repeated every two years.
This determination was officially published in the Official Gazette of the Union this Monday, the 10th. The Ministry of Health stated that this action has the potential to increase access to prevention and early detection of the disease for more than 40 million Brazilian citizens.
FIT consists of a stool analysis that can detect tiny traces of blood invisible to the naked eye. This indication may be associated with the presence of polyps, lesions that can become cancerous, or intestinal cancer.
The methodology of FIT differs from previous occult blood screening methods because it uses specific antibodies to recognize human blood, which increases the accuracy of the test.
The collection process is performed at the patient's home. They receive a kit, collect a small sample of feces using a specific swab, and deposit it in a collection tube, which is later sent for laboratory analysis.
Among the benefits highlighted by the Ministry of Health, the test demonstrates a sensitivity ranging between 85% and 92% in identifying possible changes. This new protocol will be available in an outpatient setting and is classified as a primary care procedure, requiring biennial screening.
Additionally, FIT is considered more practical and economical for population screening compared to the need to perform colonoscopies on the entire asymptomatic population. Experts point out that this test is already used in international screening programs and contributes to reducing the mortality rate from intestinal cancer through early diagnosis.
The ordinance establishes that the procedure must be applied strictly in the 'biennial screening of asymptomatic people,' which prevents its use to investigate cases in patients who present symptoms or clinical suspicion of cancer.
Although the regulation takes effect immediately upon publication, the new procedure will only be integrated into the SUS systems starting next month. The ordinance also promotes modifications to the description of the existing occult blood in stool testing procedure, causing it to cover various methods and techniques for colorectal cancer screening.
For asymptomatic men and women between 50 and 75 years old, the specific procedure related to the fecal immunochemical test must be registered. Thus, the inclusion of FIT expands the tools available in SUS for the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer.
The Supreme Court stated on Monday that every person has a constitutional right to leave the country and the right to independently choose a medical institution for treatment. In accordance with this decision, TMK General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee was permitted to go on a three-week trip abroad for medical treatment.
The trip is necessary to treat an injury sustained by Abhishek Banerjee, which was described as a 'bruised injury to the left cheek under the left eye.'
The study showed that inhaling a gas mixture containing carbon tetrafluoride and oxygen for ten minutes immediately before the decompression procedure helps to alleviate symptoms of decompression sickness in pigs.
The application of this mixture contributes to reducing the number of gas bubbles forming in the blood, as well as lowering the degree of nervous system damage and the overall risk of mortality in the animals.
Scientists hypothesize that the reduced diffusion capacity of carbon tetrafluoride could potentially allow safe diving to greater depths.
The results of the scientific research were officially published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A White House document, reported by North American press, determined the withdrawal of the recommendation for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for children in the United States. The new order suggests administering the MMR vaccine in three separate doses, given during distinct appointments, and requests the Department of Health to intensify its investigation into vaccines.
Currently, isolated vaccines against measles, mumps, and rubella are not available for children in the US; only the MMR vaccine is used. Although childhood vaccination during school age is the responsibility of American states and not the federal government, many Republican state governments will have to comply with guidelines issued by the White House.
Trump's presidential order advises states to update their legislation to mirror government guidelines. This measure comes at a time when the school year is beginning and the country is facing a measles outbreak, which, according to specialists, could lead to the loss of disease-free status.
Public health experts cited by the AP agency expressed concern that the interval between vaccine doses, as suggested by Trump, could increase the risk of children contracting diseases during the period between appointments, even if they are immunized.
Although childhood vaccines undergo rigorous study processes and their safety is continuously monitored, they have been the target of conspiracy theories, which spread mainly in groups linked to radical sectors of the Republican Party.
In December, Trump instructed the Department of Health and Human Services to survey vaccination recommendations in other nations and to consider revising American guidelines for alignment.
The department, under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—a known skeptic regarding vaccination—initially responded by reducing the number of recommended vaccines per child, but this action was later blocked by a court decision.
More recently, with the approach of the November midterm elections, Trump has focused on less controversial health topics, such as promoting healthy eating and efforts to reduce drug costs.
Surveys indicate that most American citizens still support mandatory school vaccination, although Republicans show less predisposition to defend it compared to Democrats. Trump's executive has also linked autism to vaccines, another conspiracy theory disseminated by radical groups, despite scientific consensus and decades of research showing no connection between the two.
