Ontario shifts from Pap to HPV test for cervical cancer screening, but no at-home kits yet [Video]

Ontario will replace its main method of cervical cancer screening next week to a more accurate and less frequent test, but the dreaded speculum exam is not in the rear-view just yet.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) tests in the province will replace Pap tests, also known as Pap smears or cervical cytology, on March 3, following similar moves in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island.

Both tests aim to detect cervical cancer and involve collecting a cell sample from the cervix. Ontario Health says the HPV test is more accurate at catching cervical cancer than the previous method, which will mean most patients can get tested less often and start their routine monitoring later.

But self-screening kits that have been adopted in British Columbia won’t be a part of the upcoming rollout in Ontario, which means patients still need to visit the doctor to get tested.

Dr. Amanda Selk, an obstetrician …