Heavy smokers in Germany will be entitled to annual lung cancer screenings starting in April, the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss/G-BA) announced in Berlin on Friday. The G-BA, which brings together health insurers, doctors, and hospitals, said the goal is to detect lung cancer as early as possible.
The committee had already approved the measure last June, but smokers will still need to wait before they can book a screening appointment. "Some patience is still required before the new screening can be used everywhere," said Bernhard van Treeck, an impartial member of the G-BA. Doctors who assess patients for eligibility and refer them to a radiology practice will need specialist training, as will radiologists themselves, who will also require approval from an Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.
Heavy smokers between the ages of 50 and 75 who have smoked for at least 25 years, currently smoke, or quit less than ten years ago will be eligible for a low-dose computed tomography scan of the lungs every twelve months. Eligibility is also tied to the extent of tobacco consumption, which must amount to at least 15 so-called pack years. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day for one year equals one pack year.
More than 58,000 people in Germany are diagnosed with lung cancer every year, mostly caused by long-term heavy smoking. Around 45,000 died from the disease in 2023.
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