A FIT Test — or Faecal Immunochemical Test — detects microscopic traces of blood in your stool that are invisible to the naked eye.
Blood in the stool can be an early sign of bowel cancer or pre-cancerous polyps, often before any symptoms appear.
The test requires no dietary restrictions, no bowel preparation, and no clinic visit — just a small sample collected at home and posted to our laboratory.
The True Proactive FIT (faecal immunochemical test) uses the same type of FIT technology used by New Zealand's National Bowel Screening Programme. The main difference is access. The national programme currently covers ages 58–74 (reducing to 56 from 30 September 2026), whereas True Proactive lets you screen earlier. We encourage screening from age 40 (or earlier depending on certain factors, see below), when risk starts to rise but the programme doesn't yet apply to you.
True Proactive is a screening test for people without symptoms. If you have any bowel symptoms, see your GP rather than using a screening test. Screening from age 20 may be appropriate for people with risk factors such as a family history of bowel cancer.
NOTE: True Proactive FIT tests are for people who have no bowel symptoms and want to screen proactively. If you have any bowel symptoms, such as visible rectal bleeding, a persistent change in bowel habit, unexplained weight loss or abdominal pain, or you are already under investigation for a bowel condition, we do not recommend using True Proactive's screening kit. Please see your GP. Under New Zealand's new FIT for Symptomatic pathway, your GP may be able to refer you for a publicly funded FIT test through the hospital as part of assessing your symptoms.
How do you receive your results and what happens next?
If your test result is negative, you'll receive an email from Dr. Price with that result as well as an explanation of what that means: That it is "unlikely there is a significant bleeding colorectal cancer present at the time of screening". Annual proactive screening will be recommended as well as continued monitoring of potential warning signs or symptoms. NOTE: Like all medical tests FIT tests are not 100% accurate so annual proactive screening will be recommended and as well as continued monitoring of potential warning signs. Always consult your GP when in doubt.
In the instance of a positive result, first and foremost, it is important to understand this is not a diagnosis. It is simply a screening result that suggests further investigation may be warranted. Dr. Price will get in touch and provide recommendations on what to do next including how to speak to your GP. He also provides a letter outlining the findings and what they mean.
*It is important to be clear that a positive FIT test in an asymptomatic patient outside the national screening programme does not automatically guarantee public access to colonoscopy if referred by your GP. You should be aware that as a backup if this happens you may need to pay for a private colonoscopy or a CT colonography.*
A FIT (faecal immunochemical test) detects tiny traces of blood in your stool that are invisible to the naked eye. This can be an early warning sign of bowel cancer or polyps (i.e. an abnormal tissue growth found in the colon that could develop into cancer over time). You collect a small stool sample at home following the instructions provided, post it to the lab using a prepaid courier envelope, and receive a doctor reviewed test result. It is pain free, non invasive, and only takes around two minutes to complete.
It uses the same type of FIT (faecal immunochemical test) technology used by the kits the National Bowel Screening Programme posts to people aged 58 to 74 (reducing to 56 from 30 September 2026). The main differences are access and the positive threshold used. True Proactive is available privately to any adult, with no invitation or GP referral needed, and uses a more sensitive positive threshold. It is not part of the national programme.
Yes, that is exactly who True Proactive's FIT (faecal immunochemical test) is for. The National Bowel Screening Programme only covers people aged 58 to 74 (reducing to 56 from 30 September 2026), so both younger people and people over 74 miss out. Bowel cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in New Zealanders under 50, and rates in younger adults have been rising over the last few decades. Risk also continues to rise with age, so many people over 74 choose to keep screening once they are no longer covered by the programme. True Proactive gives you access to the same type of FIT test used by New Zealand's National Bowel Screening Programme, with no fixed minimum or upper age limit. We recommend proactive screening for adults, and it is available to anyone aged 20 and over. True Proactive's FIT is a screening test for people without symptoms. If you have any bowel symptoms, see your GP.
No. True Proactive's FIT (faecal immunochemical test) is available directly to you, with no GP referral required. You order online, collect your sample at home, and post it to the lab using the prepaid courier envelope provided. Your results are reviewed by a New Zealand registered doctor, and if your result needs follow up you will receive a doctor reviewed letter informing you of your result and guidance on next steps, including how to discuss your result with your GP.
A single True Proactive FIT (faecal immunochemical test) test is $190 plus shipping (shipping is free on orders over $225). It is a private service and is not publicly funded. Some health insurers may cover screening tests, so it is worth checking with your provider. If you are within the National Bowel Screening Programme age range (58 to 74, reducing to 56 from 30 September 2026), its FIT test is free, and you can contact the programme directly to access or discuss it.
FIT (faecal immunochemical test) is one of the most accurate non invasive bowel cancer tests available, and a single test detects the majority of bowel cancers. True Proactive uses a more sensitive positive threshold, which is designed to pick up smaller traces of blood and improve the chance of finding something early, when it is most treatable. The trade off is that it can produce more false positives, so some people may need a follow up investigation even when no cancer or significant polyp is found. A negative result is very reassuring, and because no test is perfect, repeating it each year strengthens that protection over time.
Remember, FIT is a screening test, not a diagnostic one. A positive result means further investigation (usually a colonoscopy) is recommended, not that cancer is present.
No, it is designed to be quick, easy and clean. The test kit includes a stool catcher, medical glove(s) and a simple collection device, and most people complete it in a couple of minutes. There is no bowel preparation, no dietary changes required, and nothing to refrigerate. Clear step by step instructions (and a short video) are provided with your test kit to walk you through the process.
Most test results are returned within about 7 days of the lab receiving your sample (often within 3 to 5 working days). You will receive your test result by secure email, along with a doctor reviewed letter explaining what it means and any recommended next steps.
Yes. All results are reviewed by our clinical team, led by Dr Clive Price, a New Zealand registered GP, before they are sent to you. Negative results come with an explanatory email. If a result is positive, one of our clinicians will contact you, usually Dr Clive Price, or another member of the True Proactive clinical team if he is unavailable, with a written letter setting out what the positive result means and how to discuss it with your GP.
If you receive a positive result, one of our clinicians will contact you to discuss it. This will usually be Dr Clive Price, or another member of our clinical team if he is unavailable. A positive result means blood was detected. It does not mean you have cancer, as blood can come from polyps, haemorrhoids or inflammation. You will receive a doctor reviewed letter and guidance on next steps, including how to discuss your result with your GP. A positive True Proactive FIT result does not automatically guarantee a publicly funded colonoscopy, so your GP can advise on your options, and we provide a doctor's letter to take to them.
Your FIT (faecal immunochemical test) results are strictly confidential, and are only sent to the email address you provide with your order. Your results are reviewed by a doctor and sent directly to you, not to your GP, employer, insurer or ACC, unless you choose to share them with any third parties. Your health information is stored securely and never shared with advertising partners. Our Privacy Policy complies with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code.
Pharmacy FOB (faecal occult blood) tests use an older guaiac based testing method that reacts to haemoglobin from any source, including red meat and some foods, which can cause false positives and requires dietary restrictions before testing. True Proactive uses a FIT (faecal immunochemical test), which detects only human haemoglobin. That makes it more accurate than a pharmacy FOB test, needs no dietary changes, and is lab processed and doctor reviewed. True Proactive uses the same type of FIT technology used by New Zealand's National Bowel Screening Programme, and is the internationally recommended first line test for population based bowel screening.
Yes. True Proactive (True Proactive Health Limited) is a New Zealand registered company, founded by Dr Clive Price, a UK trained GP with over 12 years' experience who now practises in New Zealand and leads the clinical team that reviews all True Proactive test results. Our mission is to make reliable, proactive health screening easier for New Zealanders to access.
