Carol Davila University launches CLARA cervical cancer screening program

The ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest has launched the CLARA project, an initiative designed to strengthen Romania’s national cervical cancer screening program through HPV testing. The project prioritizes women from vulnerable groups to ensure equitable access to healthcare regardless of income, education, or location.

With an investment exceeding 258 million lei (approximately 47 million euros) supported by European funding, the program aims to inform and mobilize over 271,000 women aged 25-65. It targets the actual testing of at least 217,246 women. Additionally, the initiative includes training 700 healthcare and non-medical professionals and establishing five new regional prevention centers.

Project manager Prof. Dr. Elvira Brătilă emphasized the necessity of creating a registry to track patients from initial screening through to diagnosis and treatment to ensure an auditable and organized system. This initiative comes as Romania faces a significant health challenge, recording 3,666 new cervical cancer cases and 1,828 deaths annually, representing 12.9% of all cases in the EU-27.