Colorectal cancer screening at community pharmacies
Official title: Expanding access to colorectal cancer screening through community pharmacies: The PharmFIT study
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11251595 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers at-home stool tests (FIT) through neighborhood pharmacies to help adults 21 and older get screened for colorectal cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $647,407 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA279010-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251595 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults age 21 and older who are due or overdue for colorectal cancer screening, especially those who use participating community pharmacies or live in underserved areas, would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People already up-to-date with colorectal screening, those with urgent symptoms needing immediate clinical evaluation, or individuals unable to collect stool samples are unlikely to benefit from this pharmacy-based FIT program.
What this research studies
You could pick up an at-home FIT (stool) test at a participating community pharmacy and get help from pharmacists and study staff on how to use it. The program includes mailed or pharmacy-distributed kits, follow-up of test results, and help arranging diagnostic colonoscopy if a test is positive. The team focuses on reaching medically underserved people who miss screening during regular clinic visits and works with regional practice networks to deliver the program. This builds on earlier pilot work showing pharmacy-based FIT delivery is acceptable and feasible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase screening for colorectal cancer in underserved communities and help detect cancers earlier, reducing deaths from CRC.
How similar studies have gone: Previous small pilots and national guidelines support FIT distribution outside clinics and early pharmacy pilots showed feasibility, but large-scale pharmacy-based implementation is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brenner, Alison T — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Brenner, Alison T
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving colorectal cancer screening and follow-up care.
This study is working to help more people get screened for colorectal cancer and receive the follow-up care they need, especially those who haven't been screened much before, so that everyone can have better access to important health checks and improve their overall health.
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Making colorectal cancer screening easier and more likely to happen
This project uses default options, simpler choices, and direct outreach to help average-risk adults who are overdue complete colorectal cancer screening with colonoscopy or stool tests.
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AI/AN Tailoring of a Home-Based Cervical and Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
A tailored, home-based cancer screening program helps AI/AN adults screen for cervical and colorectal cancer from home using self-collection tests and culturally aligned education.
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Bringing colorectal cancer screening to adults 45–54 who haven’t been screened
A grant to help low-income adults aged 45–54 start colorectal cancer screening through the Boston area’s community health centers.
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Increasing follow-up colonoscopies after a positive FIT in community clinics
Aims to help people with abnormal stool tests for colorectal cancer get timely follow-up colonoscopies in safety-net clinics.
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Colorectal cancer screening with real-time imaging that may replace sedated scopes
Researchers are testing a new imaging method called optical coherence tomography (OCT) to spot and treat colon polyps without the need for sedation during a screening colonoscopy.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.