MISSISSAUGA, ON. – BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, announced the results of a new survey revealing that 74% of women in Canada have delayed a gynecology visit, with 83% wanting more accessible and less invasive cervical cancer testing options, including at-home self-collection for human papillomavirus (HPV) tests.
In an online survey conducted by The Harris Poll involving more than 500 adult women in Canada, it was found that while 69% of women understand that cervical cancer is preventable through regular screenings, over half (58%) postponed visiting a gynecologist due to fear or discomfort. Moreover, 62% of respondents reported being unsure about how often they should be screened for cervical cancer.
“The fact that women are skipping this potentially life-saving screening due to fear makes it clear that the health system needs to make the process more comfortable, equitable and accessible,” said Dr. Jeff Andrews, a board-certified OB/GYN physician and Vice President, Medical Affairs at BD. “HPV self-collection at-home reduces both the discomfort and time associated with a pelvic exam and is a critical step forward in cervical cancer screening.”
“Self-collection at home for HPV testing is a game-changer in the fight against cervical cancer,” said Ivy Parks, President of BD-Canada. “By empowering individuals to collect their own samples, we are removing significant barriers to screening and making it easier for individuals to take control of their health. This initiative is vital in our efforts to ensure cervical cancer prevention becomes a reality for all.”
Compared to the traditional Pap test, HPV self-collection is less invasive, more cost-effective, and requires less frequent testing, now recommended every five years. The accuracy of self-collection for HPV is at the same standard as clinician-collected samples, making cervical cancer prevention more accessible, especially to remote, rural, and vulnerable populations. 90% of surveyed women were not aware that Pap tests are not the most accurate test for detecting cervical cancer.
The BD Onclarity™ HPV Assay is approved by Health Canada for at-home self-collection, and it identifies more individual strains of HPV than any other test. Being able to identify more individual types of HPV means that clinicians can track those types across a patient’s visits to more effectively manage high-risk cases and better guide follow-up for low-risk patients. This targeted approach helps ensure that women and people with a cervix receive the most appropriate care for their situation and avoid return visits to the doctor’s office for invasive tests that may not be necessary.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a woman dies of cervical cancer every two minutes. HPV is widely recognized as the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection globally, responsible for roughly 70% of cervical cancers in Canada. With an estimated 16.3 million women aged 15 years and older at risk of developing cervical cancer in the country, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer recommends that Canada introduce HPV primary screening to replace the Pap test.
Guidelines from a growing number of international agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) are recommending self-collection for HPV screening as well as tests that offer Extended Genotyping capabilities.
