In 2018, Hungary introduced a biannual pilot screening programme for colorectal cancer for individuals aged 50–70 [1]. The Hungarian Government and the European Social Fund funded the pilot screening programme [2]. In June 2024, the State Secretary for Health announced that the pilot screening programme would be extended nationwide [3]. Government Decision 1121/2024 (V.7.) provides the legal and financial framework, stipulating that the funding will come from the national budget [4].
Moreover, the decision lays down that for users of the Egészségablak (“HealthWindow”) application (see ”A new outpatient pathway management tool is currently being piloted“ from 28 July 2023), the screening invitations should be sent primarily through this channel. Through this decision, the government aims to boost the participation rate. According to OECD data, the participation rate in the colorectal cancer screening programme was only 8.1% in 2022 among those aged 50–74 years (based on programme data – provisional value), the lowest rate among reporting countries [5].