Women due for cervical screening can now choose to self-collect a sample themselves, rather than having a cervical screening test (previously known as a Pap test).
From 1 July 2022, all women, and people with a cervix, aged 25-74 can self-collect their cervical screening sample.
Self-collection is a simple process which looks for signs of human papillomavirus (HPV) – a common infection that is the cause of most cervical cancers.
Australia is one of the first countries in the world to offer self-collection as a choice for all screening participants.
The statistics
About 900 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Australia each year, with about 70 per cent of these cases occurring in women who:
- have never had a cervical screening test or
- are not up-to-date with their screening.
In the past, some women avoided having a cervical screening test (Pap test), due to discomfort or trauma (particularly for those who have experienced sexual violence or abuse).
The Women's involvement
The Women’s Cancer Research Centre and Colposcopy Clinic is pleased to have been involved, over the last few years, in trialling the efficacy of self-collection tests (SCOPE and SCOPE2 trials).
Self-collected tests were proven to be just as accurate in detecting HPV, as tests collected by a clinician using a speculum.
Our involvement in the SCOPE trials is one of the many ways we are achieving our vision of: "creating healthier futures for women and babies".
For more information on self-collection, see the Australian Government's 1 July announcement