Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK (CRUK), Trustee of The Francis Crick Institute, and Advisory Council Member at The King’s Fund, shared on LinkedIn:
“Today marks an important step forward in our ambition to eliminate cervical cancer.
The rollout of HPV self-testing for some women aged 30 to 65 in England will give more women the opportunity to take part in the cervical screening programme.
This is a hugely positive development for those who may face barriers to attending appointments, whether because of difficulty in getting to their GP, embarrassment, or other challenges.
Cervical screening is a powerful tool that saves lives. By testing for high-risk HPV, the virus that causes almost all cervical cancers, it can help prevent cancer from developing.
It’s still best for cervical screening to be carried out in-person by a healthcare professional, and this will be suitable for most people.
But beating cervical cancer means beating it for everyone, which why we welcome the introduction of at-home HPV self-testing for people who haven’t attended cervical screening when invited.
This gives women who wouldn’t otherwise have been screened an additional option, helping more people access this life-saving programme in a way that works for them.
Research has shown that self-testing could help hundreds of thousands more people take part in screening each year, particularly those who have previously found it difficult to engage with the programme.
This is an announcement worth celebrating. But it’s also an important reminder: if you’re invited for cervical screening, or offered a self-testing kit, please consider taking up the offer and encourage loved ones to do the same.”