Brazil expands HPV self‑test to improve cervical cancer screening

Brazil has issued new guidelines that prioritize molecular HPV testing, allowing women to collect samples themselves. The self‑collection method is intended to increase participation and reduce disparities in cervical‑cancer screening, gradually replacing the Pap smear in the public health system over the next five years. The change targets the approximately 19,000 new cervical‑cancer cases reported annually in the country.

In the municipality of Piancó, Paraíba, local health authorities have begun offering the DNA‑HPV molecular test to women aged 25‑64 at the Eudo Moura Diniz health unit. The service aims to detect high‑risk HPV before lesions develop, facilitating earlier diagnosis and treatment and strengthening municipal women's health services.