FDA Approves Roche's DIY HPV Self-Testing Kit for Cervical Cancer Screening on Wednesday

May 15, 2024, 06:13 PM

Swiss drugmaker Roche announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing kit on Wednesday. This new self-sampling solution aims to address unequal access to screening, which can put women at risk of cervical cancer. The FDA's approval allows women in the US to collect their own vaginal samples for HPV screening, potentially increasing early detection in those at risk for cervical cancer. Advocates believe this method will make it easier for women of color and those living in rural and underserved communities to screen for HPV. The self-collection kit, described as a DIY Pap smear that can be done in less than a minute, is seen as a crucial step in expanding screening for potentially lethal cervical cancer and is expected to be a game-changer in reproductive health.