B.C. residents will soon become the first in Canada to have access to an at-home, self-screening test for cervical cancer.
About 200 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer a year in the province, Premier David Eby said Tuesday morning.
He said doctors in B.C. have been looking for ways to improve the diagnosis of human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer.
Later this month, residents will be able to go online and order the self-screening test, do it at home and send it to the lab to be tested. Eby said if a follow-up is needed, that patient will be contacted.
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“It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s more accurate than the traditional method of testing,” Eby said.
“This will help us achieve our goal of eliminating cervical cancer in British Columbia.”
The test will be available for anyone with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 69 starting Jan. 29.
“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,” B.C.’s Health Minister Adrian Dix said.
“This is part of our commitment to eliminate cervical cancer in our province in 10 years.”
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