N.B. to replace Pap tests with HPV tests to screen for cervical cancer – CBC
The transition, which will include introduction of self-sampling, is expected to take up to 6 years
Aug 17, 2023
After decades of using the traditional Pap test to detect early signs of cervical cancer, New Brunswick plans to transition to using HPV tests instead and will eventually introduce self-sampling, the Department of Health has confirmed.
An advisory group is being established, and work on the transition is expected to begin this fall, said department spokesperson Sean Hatchard.
“This initiative aligns with the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer action plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, and the World Health Organization’s goal to eliminate cervical cancer world-wide,” he said.
HPV testing identifies cervical pre-cancer earlier, resulting in a “significantly lower likelihood of cervical cancer compared with Pap test screening,” according to the partnership’s website.
It should also mean more accurate results and less frequent testing, which could spare people unnecessary stress and save the province money, said Dr. Jaime Reardon, a obstetrician-gynecologist in Saint John.
