The Department of Health has reported a technical incident that affected the early detection program for colorectal cancer in the province of Málaga. The error, which has now been rectified, will require about 400 individuals to repeat the fecal occult blood test.
It was the laboratory professionals at the Hospital Clínico who detected an unusually high volume of positive results, prompting an immediate review that confirmed the incident. After identifying the issue, the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) activated a protocol to individually contact affected users and arrange for the test to be repeated.
“"They told me there had been an error and that I had to repeat the screening analysis. When I asked if the incident was related to the letter I had initially received, they indicated it was a problem affecting more patients."
One of the affected individuals, a resident of the Costa del Sol, recounted that the chain of errors began even before receiving the result. The invitation letter for the screening contained data from two different people, which she claims could constitute a violation of data protection regulations. After receiving the erroneous notification of a positive result, the patient experienced significant distress, which was exacerbated by a subsequent call from the Epidemiology service. Hours later, she was contacted again to repeat the test due to the detected error.
The incident affects men and women between 50 and 69 years old, the age group targeted by the early detection program for colon cancer. The aim of these tests is to detect the disease in its early stages, before symptoms appear.
