British Columbia is switching to at-home HPV testing to screen for cervical cancer.
The human papillomavirus, more commonly known as HPV, causes 70 per cent of all cervical cancer cases. The BC government will now move away from the common pap smear test in favor of testing for HPV. This will allow for cancer screening to be done at home.
“B.C. has been a world leader in cervical cancer prevention for almost 70 years and we’re at the forefront again as the first Canadian province or territory to offer cervix self-screening at home provincewide,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “By transitioning cervix screening to HPV primary screening and offering the self-screening option provincewide, we are removing barriers to accessing care and giving people the tools they need to take prevention into their own hands. This is part of our commitment to eliminate cervical cancer in our province in 10 years.”
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