A way to self-collect a sample to prevent cervical cancer is now available for women.
The test to self-screen for human papillomavirus (HPV) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Normally, HPV tests are performed by gynecologists by swabbing the cervix to collect a sample of cells. Now, patients will be able to perform these tests themselves by inserting the swab that will then be sent to a lab for testing.
These self-screenings must be done in a private room inside a doctor’s office, mobile clinic or another health care setting.
George Washington University has experts available who can speak about self-screening. If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Katelyn Deckelbaum, katelyn.deckelbaum@gwu.edu.
Nancy Gaba is professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology.Julie Bauman, is the director of the GW Cancer Center as well as associate dean of cancer and professor of medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Jeanne Jordan is a professor of epidemiology at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is also the director of the International Institute for Public Health Laboratory Management, a joint project of the Association of Public Health Laboratories and The George Washington University. She has done extensive research on HPV and cancer screenings.
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