BC Launches Canada’s First Self-Screening Cervical Cancer Plan, With At-Home Tests

British Columbia is phasing out the pap test for cancer screening in favour of mail-in kits collected by patients. The government says trials have shown that screening for the human papillomavirus, or HPV, is more effective at finding pre-cancerous lesions compared with the pap test. Premier David Eby says it’s the first at-home self-screening program in Canada and it could make ending cervical cancer in B.C. a real possibility. There are 15 types of high-risk HPV that can be associated with various cancers and if they aren’t cleared by the body, they could cause cells to change, leading to cervical cancer....