The measure adds the fecal immunochemical test to the Brazilian public health network; this test is used exclusively for disease screening rather than for investigating cases involving symptomatic individuals or those with suspected clinical conditions.

  Unlike traditional methods, the test—as noted by Agencia Brasil—uses specific antibodies to detect human blood, thereby increasing the procedure’s accuracy.

  According to the Ministry of Health, the test has a sensitivity of 85% to 92% in identifying potential abnormalities and will expand access to prevention and early detection for more than 40 million Brazilians.

  Colorectal cancer is currently the second most common type of cancer in Brazil, excluding non-melanoma skin tumors.

  One of the advantages of the new test is its simplicity: patients receive a kit to collect a stool sample at home, which is then sent to a laboratory for analysis. It requires no bowel preparation, dietary restrictions, or multiple samples.

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