NHS to roll out DIY cervical cancer testing kits
New mail-in smear tests could save 5,000 lives each year
- The NHS will introduce DIY cervical cancer screening tests for women in England who have consistently missed traditional appointments.
- The self-administered kits, designed to detect HPV, will be mailed to eligible women starting January 2026.
- The initiative aims to increase screening uptake by addressing barriers like discomfort or lack of time, ultimately leading to earlier detection of cervical cancer.
- Research, including the YouScreen trial, suggests that offering self-sampling kits could boost uptake by approximately 400,000 women annually.
- The Department of Health and Social Care anticipates the new program could potentially save around 5,000 lives each year by targeting underserved groups and making screening more convenient.