The Chamber supports making cervical cancer self-examinations available Now

A majority of the House of Representatives supports D66’s proposal to make self-sampling tests available for cervical cancer. Founder Week Paulsma hopes this will allow more women to be screened for cervical cancer risk.

A cervical cancer screening program can be used to detect (an early stage) cervical cancer.

But since 2018, the number of participants in the study has been decreasing. Last year, 55 percent of women between the ages of 30 and 60 participated in the survey. Paulusma says that percentage is very low. Early detection of cervical cancer can lead to better treatment of the disease.

Participation may be low because young women are less likely to be ill. Women may find the smear painful at the doctor’s office, Paulusma suspects.

MB hopes to lower the threshold through self-sample testing (‘home test’). This test can detect human papillomavirus (HPV, which causes cervical cancer) and any abnormal cells. Home inspections require 3 million euros annually.

D66 prefers home testing as standard

D66 wants home screening to be sent as standard to all women who receive an invitation to participate in population screening for the first time in 2023. This is now only done on request.

“We can and should be more about cervical cancer than we are doing now,” says Paulusma. “Not only does it save a lot of sickness, but it also saves a lot of grief.”

The Health Council had earlier given a favorable opinion on the proposal submitted by Paulusma while discussing the budget of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS).

Around 950 women in the Netherlands develop cervical cancer every year. Most of them are in the age group of 30 to 55 years. Women diagnosed with early cervical cancer have a 96 percent survival rate.

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