Doctors are worried about the quality of the test which the health ministry is introducing for bowel cancer in September, the Volkskrant reports on Monday.

The test, based on a small sample of faeces, will be introduced for everyone aged 55 to 75 – in total four million people.

The health ministry has opted for a test-tube based test from Italian manufacturer FOB. But experts told the Volkskrant the choice is noteworthy because the Netherlands has no experience with this form of testing and international research shows other tests are more reliable.

A spokeswoman for the public health institute RIVM, which will carry out the testing, said both tests looked at during the tendering process met quality standards. ‘We also have to take cost into account and the FOB Gold test scored much better,’ Harriët van Veldhuizen told the paper.

The health ministry expects spotting bowel cancer early will eventually prevent 1,400 deaths a year.