Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Health whether any assurance can be provided to parents that there are no environmental links to the suspected cluster of childhood cancer cases in the Mid Ulster area, between July 2023 and April 2025. [Priority Written]
Minister of Health: Where a potential cancer cluster is identified, public health bodies apply robust, evidence-based methodologies to determine whether the incidence is statistically significant. In Northern Ireland, the Public Health Agency (PHA) commissions the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) to analyse the relevant data. Where a cluster is confirmed, further investigation may be undertaken, including assessment of potential environmental risk factors.
In relation to concerns about a suspected cancer cluster of childhood cancer cases in Mid Ulster, the NICR has completed an in-depth data analysis using recognised methods applied by cancer registries across the UK, and this showed that the incidences of childhood cancer in and within the Mid Ulster Parliamentary Constituency (PC) were consistent with rates across Northern Ireland. This covered the time period 2018-2022 (confirmed cases) and considered provisional cases for the period 2018-2023 (provisional cases for 2023).
The PHA are working with NICR and remain committed to keeping the data under review and as validated data becomes available further analysis will be carried out as required. I understand we are to meet on this issue shortly and we can explore the issue in further detail then.
ENDS
Your MLA 