Roche unveils HPV self sampling solution against cervical cancer

Screening for human papillomavirus (HPV) can help identify women who are at risk of developing cervical cancer, so that the disease can be found and treated early before it has a chance to develop.

"There are many drivers that contribute to women not participating in cervical cancer screening programs, including limited access to testing, past experiences, embarrassment and cultural influences. Roche's self sampling solution helps reduce these barriers by offering women an alternative to more invasive clinician collection procedures, while also providing accurate and reliable results enabling clinicians to make patient care decisions," the company said in its recent release.

"The elimination of cervical cancer is within reach. Reducing barriers to HPV screening by enabling women to self-collect their own specimen for HPV testing is a critical tool in the fight against cervical cancer," said Thomas Schinecker, CEO Roche Diagnostics.

In low- and middle-income countries, women are often diagnosed with cervical cancer at a more advanced stage, where the opportunity for cure is low.

"By broadening access through removing barriers and enabling screening in additional healthcare environments, Roche highlights its commitment to achieving the World Health Organisation's global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer and reduce the overall mortality rate," the company stated.