(Feb. 6, 2025) – The Health Resources and Services Administration has
announced updated cervical cancer screening guidelines that include a new option for women to self-collect screening samples. The updated guideline also designates high-risk human papillomavirus testing, whether collected by a patient or a clinician, as the preferred screening modality for average-risk women ages 30-65, while retaining the option for cervical cytology (PAP) testing. For average-risk women ages 21-29, cervical cancer screening using Pap is recommended. The full text of the new guideline is available in the
Federal Register and in
JAMA Viewpoint.
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Karen Braman