[Ethics of organized cancer screening in France]

Cancer screening has been among the priorities of the French Cancer Plans since 2003. However, participation in screening programs remains below expectations. The predominance of the value of autonomy in today's society may compromise the legitimacy of a public health action if it does not gain the adhesion of individuals. The Group of Reflection on the Ethics of Screening (GRED) set up by the French National Cancer Institute has brought together experts from different disciplines around this issue. The aim of the present article is to summarize the work of the group, which successively focused on breast and colorectal cancer screening programs, followed by reflection on the implementation of organized cervical cancer screening. Information and health education appear to be key levers to enable individuals to understand the collective interest of public health policies and thus to be able to adhere to the proposed actions in an informed manner. This should be made possible by providing complete and high quality information, addressing the limits of each screening including benefits and risks. Valuing the collective dimension of public health, which calls for solidarity, must make it possible to raise awareness of the proper use of public services.