• Survey highlights barriers to colorectal cancer screening for adults 45 and over
• Overwhelming majority (92%) of Americans ages 45 and over believe blood-based screening should be covered with no co-pay
• Shield™ by Guardant is proven to increase screening rates with a 93% adherence rate by offering a quick, easy option to screen with just a blood draw

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 13, 2026-- Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced the results of a new national survey conducted on its behalf by The Harris Poll with findings demonstrating that more than 9 out of 10 Americans ages 45 and over believe in ensuring broader coverage for blood-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, including new innovations like Shield™ by Guardant, a methylation partitioning cell-free DNA (mp-cfDNA) test and the first and only FDA-approved blood test for primary colorectal cancer screening.

The survey showed an overwhelming majority of Americans of screening-eligible age (92%) believe that blood-based colorectal cancer screening should be covered with no co-pay similar to Medicare Part B and VA Community Care coverage. National CRC screening guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) were last updated in 2021 lowering the recommended screening age from 50 to 45 for average risk individuals, but have yet to be updated to include a new innovative screening option approved by the FDA in 2024.

Poll findings also highlighted the likely barriers to colorectal cancer screening, including colonoscopies and stool-based tests, as millions of Americans ages 45 and over remain unscreened.

• A majority (71%) have felt/would feel anxious before having a colonoscopy
• Over three-quarters of screening-eligible Americans (77%) said they would be less likely to avoid or delay a colorectal cancer screening knowing that there is an FDA-approved blood test option available
• 85% of screening-eligible Americans said they would be more likely to get a colonoscopy if they had a positive result on a blood-based colorectal cancer screening test first
• Over half (54%) say stool-based tests “gross them out,” and nearly two in five (38%) say they would have a hard time completing one

“This year’s survey conducted by The Harris Poll gives insight into the barriers that drive millions of Americans to avoid their recommended colorectal screening and the overwhelming support in expanding access to the latest innovation in colorectal cancer screening to close our nation’s screening gap,” said Dr. Craig Eagle, M.D. Guardant Health chief medical officer. “Preventive care should be accessible to everyone. Guardant’s Shield blood test is a critical avenue in getting more patients screened by providing a quick, easy option to screen for colorectal cancer with just a blood draw, helping to detect cancer early, when it’s more treatable.”

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. with a 91 percent five-year survival rate if caught in early stages.¹ Shield is proven to increase screening rates in the real world, with 93% of patients completing the test in the first 100,000 Shield tests ordered - a significant improvement in screening adherence rates over other types of tests.²

Recently, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network included the Shield blood test in its updated CRC screening guidelines, paving the way for improved patient access and additional major clinical guideline inclusions. Shield is covered by Medicare, Veterans Affairs Community Care Network and TRICARE, and is commercially available across the U.S.

The Harris Poll conducted the survey on behalf of Guardant Health from February 24-26, 2026, among 1,189 U.S. adults aged 45 and older. Data was weighted where necessary to reflect the U.S. population. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data are accurate to within ± 3.6 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Meaghan Smith at Guardant Health.

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.

About The Harris Poll

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260313848518/en/

Investor Contact:
Zarak Khurshid
investors@guardanthealth.com

Media Contact:
Meaghan Smith
press@guardanthealth.com

Source: Guardant Health, Inc.