Hiqa recommends new cervical cancer screening method

A new and better way of detecting cervical cancer recommended by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) will mean most women will be screened less often.

Hiqa was asked by CervicalCheck, the HSE National Cervical Screening Programme, to evaluate the impact of changing the policy of primary screening with liquid-based cytology to primary screening with HPV testing.

Hiqa director of health technology assessment Dr Máirín Ryan said primary HPV screening would allow cervical cancer to be picked up earlier in women most at risk.