Overview
- The American Cancer Society’s December 2025 update recognizes HPV self-collection as an acceptable screening option.
- FDA authorization allows people over 21 to collect samples at home for high‑risk HPV testing, reducing barriers tied to clinic visits and pelvic exams.
- Teal Health reports strong uptake of its authorized at‑home test among women ages 40–65, with nearly half of users overdue or never screened.
- Cervical cancer is often diagnosed in midlife because HPV infections can take 10–20 years to progress, while screening rates drop in the 40s and 50s.
- WHO frames cervical cancer as eliminable, with one‑dose vaccine evidence and AI‑assisted tools strengthening prevention, though follow‑up after positive tests remains essential.