H.R. 2921: Federal Firefighter Cancer Detection and Prevention Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Federal Firefighter Cancer Detection and Prevention Act of 2025, aims to provide firefighters employed by the Department of Defense (DoD) with no-cost medical testing and related services designed to detect and prevent certain types of cancer. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill entails:

Medical Testing and Related Services

The Secretary of Defense is required to offer firefighters during their annual health assessments, or at other necessary times, specific medical tests and services for cancer detection. These services will particularly focus on:

• Breast Cancer: Female firefighters aged 40-49 will receive mammograms every two years, while those 50 and older will have them annually or as clinically indicated. A licensed radiologist will review and discuss mammogram results with the firefighter.
• Colon Cancer: Firefighters aged 40 and older will be informed about stool-based blood tests, and those 45 and older will undergo regular visual examinations such as colonoscopies or stool-based blood tests, with results provided by a licensed physician.
• Prostate Cancer: Male firefighters will receive communications regarding the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screenings. That includes annual prostate-specific antigen tests for those 50 and older or those aged 40 and older considered high-risk, as well as tests as indicated.
• Other Cancers: Routine screenings for additional cancers recognized to have higher incidence rates among firefighters than the general population will also be carried out during the annual health assessment.

Volunteer Opt-Out

Firefighters can choose to opt-out of receiving any of the medical testing or related services mentioned in the bill.

Standards and Documentation

The Secretary will implement consensus technical standards for all medical tests and services offered under the bill. Additionally, the Secretary is required to document:

• Rate of acceptance and performance of tests.
• Results of tests to identify cancer trend data.
• Potentially additional data from those receiving tests for scientific analysis.

Data will be anonymized to protect individual privacy, and the Secretary may share this data with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to enhance the understanding of cancer in firefighters.

Definitions

The bill defines certain terms, including:

• Firefighter: Defined according to existing legislation (the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020).
• High-Risk Individual: This refers to individuals who are African American, have a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer at a young age, or any individual deemed by the Secretary to be at high risk for prostate cancer.

Implementation and Oversight

The implementation of this bill is overseen by the Department of Defense, which will ensure the provision of these services and adherence to privacy and documentation requirements.

Relevant Companies

• DHR (Danaher Corporation): As a company involved in the medical technology and diagnostics sector, Danaher could see an increase in demand for cancer screening equipment if more tests are mandated by this bill.
• SHL (Shield HealthCare): This company focuses on medical services and supplies, which might provide testing and support services as required by the new mandates.