The government has announced changes to cervical cancer screenings, reducing the frequency to every five years for some women.
It says that advances in screening technology and the understanding of cervical cancer prevention means that those who test negative for HPV no longer require testing every three years.
From 1 July, women aged 24 to 49 who test negative for high-risk HPV will be invited for routine screening every five years instead of three.
The change follows a recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) in 2019 and aligns with updated intervals across the UK.
Director of Public Health, Dr. Matt Tyrer, said: “We have reviewed the UKNSC recommendation and research, and thanks to modernisation and improvement of testing and treatment, we are also able to move from a three to five-year testing interval.
“We know that those who don’t have HPV have a very low risk of developing cervical cancer within five years. It takes around 10 to 15 years for cervical cancer to develop after an HPV infection, which means that this regular screening will pick up cell changes before they develop into cervical cancer.”
Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association Executive Officer, Sandy Denning, said: “The shift to five-yearly screening intervals is based on the understanding that screening is not a test for the presence of cancer but is a more accurate way of identifying individuals at high risk.”
Public drop-in sessions will be held on 17 and 19 June for further discussion.
17 June
1 – 2pm at Keyll Darree, Nobles Hospital, Douglas
6 – 7pm at Keyll Darree, Nobles Hospital, Douglas
19 June
6 – 7pm online event
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