World

England Plans Free Cholesterol Tests at 100 Pharmacies

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Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of two hands performing a finger-prick blood test with a blue lancet on a wooden tabletop, rendered in warm ochre and slate-blue pastel strokes.

NHS England plans to offer free walk-in cholesterol checks at about 100 community pharmacies across England from autumn 2026. Eligible adults aged 40 to 84 who are not pregnant and have not had a blood test in the previous year will receive a finger-prick result in about seven minutes, along with a blood-pressure check and treatment assessment. A north London pilot tested 2,493 people, identified 19% as having high ten-year cardiovascular risk and led at least 88 to start statins. NHS England says the rollout supports its goal of cutting heart-disease and stroke deaths by 25% over the next decade.

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