TABLE 12.

Use of fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in colorectal cancer screening programs in Canada

Province	Stage of implementation	FIT used	Details of sampling and transportation	Details of processing
Nova Scotia	Program is implemented across the province	Hemoccult ICT* (card method)	Two samples over two days. Completed kits returned by business reply mail to a single central laboratory	Samples older than 10 days or with no collection date given are not processed – a letter with explanation along with a second kit are sent to the participant
Saskatchewan	In pilot phase	OC-Auto Micro 80† (vial method)	Completed kits are dropped off at a medical laboratory or mailed at a Canada Post retail outlet in a supplied postage-paid envelope	If the sample cannot be dropped off within 24 h, participants advised to refrigerate sample
British Columbia	In pilot phase	OC-Auto Micro 80 (vial method)	Two samples over two days. Completed kits are dropped off at designated locations, couriered to a central laboratory for processing	Participants advised to refrigerate sample but not to freeze them until returned. Samples are rejected if received more than 15 days after first sample taken

^*Beckman Coulter Inc, USA;

^†Eiken Chemical Company, Ltd, Japan