The HSE is preparing to roll out DIY smear test kits aimed at those who feel embarrassed, are too busy or face barriers to attend a GP.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with David McCullagh, Dublin based GP, Dr Caoimhe Hartley said anything that will remove barriers to women accessing screening tests like cervical check or cervical smears is "really welcome and should be really embraced".
She said this method of self-sampling is completely different to attending a GP for a smear test.
"It should be really simple usually just involving a swab or a soft brush and you collect a sample then from the vagina," Dr Hartley said.
People can do the test at home which is then sent to a lab by post.
She said that as long as the home test improves the rate of cervical screening then "I think it's really welcome".
However, Dr Hartley agreed that the gold standard is still GP screening, as the face-to-face interaction allows people to ask important questions about matters like breakthrough bleeding, bleeding after sex or "other red flags".
Buildings to glow teal marking World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day
It comes as OPW Buildings across Ireland from the Rock of Cashel to Dublin's Custom House will join iconic landmarks around the world and glow teal tonight for World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day.
It is one year since Ireland's Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan was published and a new report which outlines the HSE’s achievements over the last year that will bring Ireland closer to the 2040 target to eliminate cervical cancer.
Professor Nóirín Russell, Clinical Director of Cervical Check, said that most research suggests self-sampling helps women who are overdue or have never been screened.
"That’s where self-sampling has the most benefit because it encourages people who are overdue screening or have never got to the stage of having a screening of having a test and gets them into the system."
She said HPV is the virus that causes more than 90% of cervical cancers.
"Offering women an opportunity to take a self-sample at home which tests for HPV - and HPV is the virus that causes more than 90% of cervical cancers," she said.
Those who test positive on the vaginal self-sample are recommended to attend their GP or practice nurse for a HPV sample from the cervix, she said, and that can be tested for HPV and the cells examined if required.
She said it is important that this measure is added in as "part of the pathway".
"Because we know that from the literature a health care practitioner’s taken sample is likely to be more accurate and it is really important that anyone who tests positive on a self-sample attends for a GP or practice nurse taking sample so we can get that follow on and identify those who are at most risk."
Home kits detect virus that causes cancer
She confirmed that the at home tests do not detect cancer, but the virus that causes it.
Prof Russell said women from certain communities face challenges around screening access.
"We know that migrant women for instance are less likely to have... first of all they’re less likely to have had an opportunity for HPV vaccination and they’re also less likely to be screened."
She said they were working with women in those communities.
Prof Russell said they are planning a feasibility study in early 2026 to help identify how the system would work in general practices.
"That helps us to identify how it would work in general practice, so we are going to ask the women who take part what they feel about our information leaflets, how easy it was to do the test, we’re trialing two different types of swab."
She added that practice nurses and GP partners will then be asked how they found the experience.
Prof Russell said they were starting in primary care and general practice so they could pair the samples to ensure there was "zero risk" for anyone taking part.
She said anyone who has a self-sample will also get a sample from a health care practitioner.
"We’ve got to work across all communities, because it is really important that this is across all of Ireland, all of our female population.
"Because what we know is that half of the cancers diagnosed in Ireland today are diagnosed in women who have never been screened," she added.
Decline in long-term cervical cancer trend
The long-term trend in cervical cancer incidence since the introduction of the HSE's cervical screening programme in 2009, continues to decline.
Dr Caroline Mason-Mohan, Director of Public Health with the HSE's National Screening Service and Cervical Cancer Elimination partnership lead said: "The publication of our first year’s progress report is a real milestone for the cervical cancer elimination partnership.
"Ireland’s current cervical cancer incidence rate is 11 per 100,000 women, based on the 2021–2023 average.
"Despite temporary fluctuations during the Covid-19 pandemic years, the long-term trend in cervical cancer incidence since the introduction of our cervical screening programme in 2009, continues to decline.
"We are performing strongly against the WHO’s [World Health Organization's] targets and remain on track to achieve elimination by 2040."
She added that the HSE's vision is to make cervical cancer rare in every community across Ireland.
