A national lung cancer screening program will commence in July 2025, with the Federal Government pledging $264 million in funding for next week’s budget.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler, who announced the funding at the National Press Club on Tuesday, said eligible patients would undergo low-dose CT screening every two years.

It follows a recommendation from the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC), which endorsed a plan from Cancer Australia last October.

The proposal involved screening patients aged 50-70 who had a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years and were either current smokers or had quit within the past decade.