Dense Breasts Canada (DBC) welcomes the release of the Report of the External Expert Review of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care.

The report clearly underscores the need for a modern, responsive, accountable, transparent, inclusive, and expert Task Force. Its recommendations address many of our longstanding concerns with the Task Force and its guidelines. We look forward to the proposed recommendations being implemented to improve health outcomes for all Canadians.

At DBC, we’ve spent the past eight years advocating for Task Force reform—not just for breast screening guidelines, but to address broader issues with its practices, accountability, and lack of oversight and diverse expertise.

As part of our advocacy, DBC testified before federal committees and submitted detailed recommendations to the External Expert Review (EER) panel. DBC was also invited to present directly to the EER panel to share our knowledge, expertise, and lived experiences. We are
encouraged to see many of our key recommendations—on equity, governance, and expert involvement—reflected in the final report. These proposed changes have the potential to significantly improve health outcomes through earlier diagnoses, enhanced quality of life, and more lives saved — not only in breast cancer, but across all areas for which the Task Force develops preventive care guidelines.

“I’m so pleased to see that there will be restructuring of the Canadian Task Force to address flaws that have been perpetuated for decades,” said Dr Paula Gordon, DBC’s medical director. “The recommendations to incorporate modern evidence and include experts, and patients in the guideline discussion are long overdue. We welcome the promised greater transparency and monitoring of outcomes that should be included in future guidelines.“

Key highlights from the report include:
•A strong emphasis on ensuring the Task Force remains responsive to evolving scientific evidence by adopting living guidelines that keep pace with real-time research.
•A call for equity-centered engagement, inclusive guideline development, and a focus on addressing the needs of diverse populations.
•A recommended shift toward transparent governance, with formalized engagement of stakeholders and clear accountability in decision-making.
•A proposal to broaden the membership framework to be more inclusive and reflective of diverse perspectives and expertise.
•A recommendation to formalize the role of subject-matter experts to ensure high-quality, evidence-informed guidance.

More broadly, the findings and the recommendations can be summed up by a statement found in the report itself:
“The vision guiding this review is to ensure that everyone in Canada regardless of geography, background, socioeconomic status, or identity — including those from equity-denied groups such as Indigenous and Black communities — has access to high-quality, equity-centred, context-sensitive, evidence-based, and coordinated guidance on preventive health services.”

At DBC, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the government to help realize this transformative vision—one where the Task Force delivers evidence-based, inclusive, and accountable preventive health care for all Canadians.

On a Personal Note:
DBC would like to express our deepest gratitude to the many individuals who helped bring about the opportunity for transformative change:
•Health Minister Marjorie Michel – Thank you for your commitment to modernizing the Task Force, and for recognizing the critical importance of women’s health.
•Former Health Minister Mark Holland and his staff – We are grateful for your openness, for listening to our concerns, and for taking concrete action to improve the well-being of Canadians.
•Former Associate Minister of Health, Ya’ara Saks – Your tireless dedication and unwavering advocacy for Canadian women was instrumental in driving reform.
•Don Davies, MP, NDP Leader – Thank you for championing this issue across four Health Ministers and for amplifying our advocacy through a health committee study and a national press conference.
•Former MP Dr. Stephen Ellis, MP Laila Goodridge, MP Emmanuella Lambropoulos, and members of the Health and Status of Women Committees – We are grateful for your commitment to safeguarding the health of Canadian women and for using your platforms to push for progress.
•Dr Paula Gordon, Dr Martin Yaffe, Dr Jean Seely, Dr Anna Wilkinson, and Dr Shiela Appavoo – Your expertise, perseverance, research, and tireless advocacy save lives every day.
•Carolyn Jack, Peter Goldthorpe, and Nanci Woods – Thank you for generously volunteering your time and expertise. Your guidance on government relations and communications have been invaluable.
•Fellow advocates – Shira Farber, Carolyn Holland, Andrea Douglas, Annie Slight, Kathy Kaufield, and the many other remarkable individuals who advocated federally with us over the past eight years. This progress would not have been possible without your voices, your energy, and your belief in the power of change. From the bottom of our hearts—thank you.
Jennie Dale

Read the full report here https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/programs/consultation-help-modernize-development-preventive-health-care-guidelines/way-forward.html

Read the Health Minister’s statement here https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2025/06/minister-michel-welcomes-external-expert-review-report-on-the-modernization-of-preventive-health-care-guideline-development-in-canada.html