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2w ago

England Adopts Five-Year Cervical Screening Interval and Debates Screening Beyond 65

Study findings of higher HPV infection rates in women over 65 have prompted experts to call for extending routine screening past the current age cap.

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Overview

  • From July 1, 2025, women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 49 who test HPV-negative will be invited for cervical screening every five years rather than every three.
  • NHS England’s update brings its programme into line with Scotland and Wales and reflects UK National Screening Committee guidance on primary HPV testing.
  • Research by King’s College London and NHS trials confirmed that extending screening intervals to five years maintains equivalent cancer prevention for low-risk individuals.
  • A China-based study published in Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinical Medicine found that 14% of women aged 65 and over tested positive for high-risk HPV, compared with 8% of younger women.
  • Health experts and charities are calling for a reassessment of the screening age limit after evidence showed older women remain at significant risk of cervical cancer.