According to new figures supplied by the National Screening Service (NSS), nearly one-in-four CervicalCheck samples were tested in Ireland last year. The National Cervical Screening Laboratory processed 22.85 per cent of domestic community and colposcopy samples, marking an increase in domestic testing capacity since the facility opened its doors in December 2022.
Domestic Testing Growth at the National Cervical Screening Laboratory
The proportion of smear samples kept in Ireland for initial screening has risen since the National Cervical Screening Laboratory began operations, according to data released following a parliamentary question by Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins. In 2023, the facility tested just 3.63 per cent of national samples. That figure climbed to 15.3 per cent in 2024 before reaching 22.85 per cent last year.
Located on the campus of Dublin’s Coombe Hospital, the laboratory processes samples by checking them for 14 types of human papilloma virus known to cause cervical cancer. NSS chief executive Fiona Murphy stated in the parliamentary response that over time, the facility will become the primary lab provider for the national screening programme. The remaining samples not processed in Dublin are sent to Quest Diagnostics Inc. in the USA.
Lessons From the CervicalCheck Controversy and Scally Inquiry
Public trust in the system was severely damaged during the 2018 CervicalCheck controversy, when upwards of 200 women suffering from cervical cancer were kept in the dark about audit findings that revealed prior erroneous smear test evaluations, thereby underscoring the programme’s heavy reliance on American laboratories.
Following the crisis, Dr Gabriel Scally conducted a scoping inquiry which concluded that CervicalCheck possessed ‘insufficient understanding’ of the testing operations performed overseas. However, it did find that laboratories used by the service met their country’s regulatory requirements. Ms Murphy emphasized that maintaining a second laboratory overseas remains a key component of quality assurance, providing a vital contingency framework if the primary domestic facility faces a prolonged service outage.
Did You Know?
Driven by the combined impact of screening programmes and the HPV vaccine, the rate of cervical cancer diagnoses in Ireland has dropped from 15 per 100,000 women back in 2009 to the current level of 10.4 per 100,000.
Pathway to Eliminating Cervical Cancer by 2040
Ireland has committed to eliminating cervical cancer in this country by 2040. When the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day was marked last November, public health authorities announced that the nation is on course to lower disease rates to four per 100,000 within a 15-year window, meeting the exact benchmark required to classify cervical cancer as eliminated.
Ms Murphy noted that both the domestic facility and Quest Diagnostics Inc. meet identical quality-assurance standards, ensuring women receive the same high level of service regardless of where their specific sample is analyzed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are CervicalCheck samples tested?
Samples are tested domestically at the National Cervical Screening Laboratory in Dublin and internationally at Quest Diagnostics Inc. in the United States, according to National Screening Service data.
What is the National Cervical Screening Laboratory?
Located on the campus of Dublin’s Coombe Hospital and opened in December 2022, the facility processes domestic community and colposcopy samples to increase local oversight of the national screening program.
How many human papilloma virus types are screened?
Each sample is tested for 14 types of human papilloma virus that can cause cervical cancer.
What is Ireland’s timeline for eliminating cervical cancer?
Health officials have committed to eliminating cervical cancer in Ireland by 2040, aiming to reduce incidence rates to four cases per 100,000 women.
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