Overview
- The update reaffirms primary HPV testing as the preferred method, with screening every five years, while Pap testing every three years or co‑testing every five years remain options.
- ACS recommends beginning primary HPV screening at age 25, contrasting with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s current start at age 30.
- Since 2024 the FDA has cleared self‑collected HPV testing pathways in clinics and later approved options that allow at‑home swabs mailed to a lab.
- Studies cited in coverage indicate self‑collected samples perform comparably to clinician‑collected samples for screening, though positive results require clinical follow‑up.
- The guidance clarifies stopping screening at 65 only after a decade of consistent negative results, responding to declining screening rates and rising cases in some younger groups.