Behind every life-saving cervical screening test is a team you rarely see. This Cervical Cancer Awareness Week (17–23 November 2025), we celebrate the accredited laboratories and experts whose precision makes early detection possible.
In 2024, an estimated 1,030 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed in Australia, with an estimated 243 deaths from the disease. Early detection saves lives, but only if test results can be trusted.
That trust comes from accreditation.
Accreditation ensures laboratories meet rigorous quality and competency standards. Every test, whether collected by a clinician or through a self-collection HPV kit, is processed consistently and accurately. This reliability means doctors can act quickly on results, and patients can have confidence that the follow-up care they receive is timely and appropriate.
Self-collection kits, introduced in 2022, have made cervical screening more accessible than ever, particularly for women who may have been under-screened. But access alone is not enough. Accurate, accredited testing is critical to making sure that more accessible screening translates into real-world health outcomes.
Equity is another key benefit of accredited testing. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, people in regional areas, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities have historically faced barriers to screening. Accreditation ensures that the tests these groups rely on meet the same high standards as all others, helping close gaps and improve health outcomes.
Australia is on track to reduce cervical cancer to a rare disease by the late 2020s. Vaccination, screening, and public awareness are all vital, but so is the integrity of testing. Accredited laboratories turn samples into trusted data, which then drives clinical decisions, public health strategies, and ultimately, lives saved.
This Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, let’s recognise the scientists, technicians, and auditors whose work often goes unseen. Their expertise ensures every test counts, every result can be trusted, and every effort toward eliminating cervical cancer is supported by solid, reliable data.
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