Guardant Health Applauds New Law Ensuring Access to Colorectal Cancer Screening Innovations with No Cost-Sharing for Pennsylvanians
Two million more screening-eligible Pennsylvanians will now have access to the Shield blood test for colorectal cancer
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Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, applauded the enactment of a new law (HB 1123) in Pennsylvania aligning insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screening to reflect the latest American Cancer Society (ACS) and National Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCCN) guidelines, ensuring no cost-sharing for about 2 million Pennsylvanians of screening-eligible age.1
The landmark legislation marks a historic moment for states proactively aligning state policy with the latest research and innovations for colorectal cancer screening, improving access to lifesaving screening tools like the Shield blood test for colorectal cancer that are making it easier for people to get screened, amid delays by the United States Preventive Services Taskforce (USPSTF) in updating their CRC guidelines to reflect the latest FDA-approved and CMS covered screening tools.
Guardant’s Shield blood test for CRC is the most clinically validated blood test in the market and the first to be included in ACS and NCCN guidelines.
“With colorectal cancer now the leading cause of cancer-related death in Americans under 50, Pennsylvania’s new law expands access to the Shield blood test amid rising CRC rates by aligning coverage with the latest clinical evidence,” said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. “By removing cost as a barrier, we can reach more Pennsylvanians, especially in rural communities where Shield has been proven to double screening adherence rates.”
“I am proud of the progress we have made in the House to bring Pennsylvania policy closer to the latest medical screening guidance. I know firsthand how frightening a diagnosis can be, but I also know the difference that early detection, timely care, and access to the right screening tools can make,” said bill sponsor Representative Pat Gallager. “The research is clear: more people complete and prefer the FDA-approved blood test for colorectal cancer screening, given its ease of use. And when more people get screened, more cancers are caught early, giving Pennsylvanians diagnosed more time for treatment, more time with family, and a greater chance at a healthier life.”
“Early detection saves lives, and we must do everything we can to make colorectal cancer screening more accessible to Pennsylvanians,” said Senator Devlin Robinson. “This legislation will help remove the barriers that keep too many people from getting screened. While colonoscopy remains the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening, we know different options can make a difference in whether someone follows through with testing and the best screening test is the one a patient completes. Giving patients and providers more evidence-based options can help us detect cancer earlier and ultimately save lives.”
Pennsylvania House Bill 1123 applies to state-regulated plans and Medicaid. The new law will go into effect December 21, 2026.
About Shield
Shield is a methylation partitioning cell-free DNA (mp-cfDNA) non-invasive, blood-based screening test that detects alterations associated with colorectal cancer in the blood. It is intended as a screening test for individuals at average risk for the disease, age 45 or older, and is not intended for individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer. The Shield test can be considered in a manner similar to guideline-recommended non-invasive CRC screening options and can be completed during any healthcare visit. A positive Shield result raises concern for the presence of colorectal cancer or advanced adenoma and the patient should be referred for colonoscopy evaluation.
About Guardant Health
Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on guarding wellness and giving every person more time free from cancer. Founded in 2012, Guardant is transforming patient care and accelerating new cancer therapies by providing critical insights into what drives disease through its advanced blood and tissue tests, real-world data and AI analytics. Guardant tests help improve outcomes across all stages of care, including screening to find cancer early, monitoring for recurrence in early-stage cancer, and treatment selection for patients with advanced cancer. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Facebook.
Guardant Health Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding the potential utilities, values, benefits and advantages of Guardant Health’s liquid biopsy tests or assays, which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors. These and additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Guardant Health’s financial and operating results and cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release include those discussed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and elsewhere in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and in its other reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Guardant Health as of the date hereof, and Guardant Health disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements provided to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Guardant Health’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
1 Neilsberg Research. 2025. “Pennsylvania Population by Age: 2025 Update.” Neilsberg. https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/pennsylvania-population-by-age/.
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