Ontario Lowers Mammogram Self-Referral Age to 40

The province enables women in their 40s to book mammograms without a doctor's referral, expanding access to early breast cancer detection.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced the change, allowing women aged 40 to 49 to self-refer for mammograms, effective immediately.
The Ontario government is investing nearly $20 million to expand appointment availability and train additional staff for the screening program.
Approximately 305,000 of the one million eligible women in the 40-49 age group are expected to seek screening.
The expansion is predicted to result in 177,000 additional mammograms annually, potentially detecting 845 more cancer cases each year.
Experts highlight the importance of discussing the risks and benefits of early screening with healthcare providers, as false positives may occur.