INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AND CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION

That this House welcomes International Women's Day on 8 March 2009; acknowledges that, on average, three women a day in the UK will die from cervical cancer; further acknowledges that the UK is one of the only countries in Europe not to provide human papilloma virus (HPV) testing to women routinely and not to follow the EU Quality Assurance Recommendations to use HPV testing as follow-up to borderline or mild smears and following treatment for cervical abnormalities; believes that making HPV testing available as a routine follow-up for all women would ultimately reduce the incidence of cervical cancer and save lives; highlights a Government-funded study published in 2006, Lifetime effects, costs and cost-effectiveness of testing for human papilloma virus to manage low grade cytological abnormalities: results of the NHS pilot studies, that predicts that using HPV testing in conjunction with the smear test for women with borderline or abnormal smear test results would be cost-effective; and calls on the Government to adopt HPV testing, instead of repeat smear tests, for follow-up of borderline and mild smear results and follow-up of women post-treatment for cervical abnormalities.