Toilet roll and underwear could soon come with warnings about cancer symptoms under the new NHS plan
Underpants and toilet paper could soon come with warnings about cancer symptoms.
The NHS is in talks with manufacturers of underwear and toilet paper to provide advice on cervical, bowel and other cancers.
It is also speaking to supermarkets about putting advice on underwear labels and toilet rolls urging people to check for the most common cancer symptoms.
One of the chains in early discussions is Tesco, the Sunday Times reported.
The schedule is part of ideas to improve early diagnosis rates, as cancers detected earlier are easier to treat.
Around 167,000 people in the UK die from cancer each year, with the four most common cancers being prostate, breast, bowel and lung cancer – accounting for around 50 per cent of all diagnoses.
The NHS is speaking to supermarkets about putting advice on underwear labels and toilet rolls to urge people to check for the most common cancer symptoms
Professor Sir Mike Richards, former director of cancer at the Department of Health and now chairman of the UK’s national screening committee, has said that ‘we are offering a late diagnosis service in this country and that needs to be addressed urgently’.
An NHS spokesperson said: ‘The NHS is always looking to work with external partners to raise awareness and help save lives around important health issues.
‘Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and the impact of awareness campaigns, more patients than ever before are now being checked and starting cancer treatment. Last year, more than 2.8 million people were urgently tested for cancer, with more than 328,000 people starting treatment and a higher percentage than ever before being diagnosed at an early stage.? Other retailers have also made efforts to alert the public to cancer symptoms.
Marks & Spencer has pledged to introduce guidelines on the signs of breast cancer in more than 2,000 of its fitting rooms, and has also agreed to put colon cancer symptoms on its own toilet roll packaging ? a move inspired by colon cancer activist Dame Deborah James, who died in June passed away last year.
Andrex will also include cancer warnings on its toilet paper packaging.
Andrex said ‘vital information about bowel cancer’ will be added to 29 million toilet rolls as part of a partnership with the charity Bowel Cancer UK.