ASCP is prepared to quickly mobilize when the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) releases updated cervical cancer screening guidelines. The draft guidelines will only be open for a 30-day comment period. Nonetheless, ASCP is poised to educate, advocate on behalf of patients, and rapidly respond once the drafts are issued.
As part of this effort, ASCP created an evidence-based campaign,
Patient
and
Provider CHOICE: Preserve Choice in Cervical Cancer Screening, to prepare our membership to take action and share their voices to make an impact in ensuring all screening options remain available to all women. In formulating the campaign, we followed current studies and data showing concerning trends in cervical cancer screening in the US. The campaign will feature an Action Center that will allow members direct access to the USPSTF comment page. ASCP believes our collective voice can make an impact in preserving choice and improving overall care for women.
In addition, ASCP President-Elect Robert Goulart, MD, MASCP, is active as ASCP’s member representative and co-chair of the Cytopathology Education and Training Consortium that also includes the American Society for Cytopathology and the College of American Pathologists as additional members. This group met recently to review current guidelines and prepare for updates.
Finally, ASCP has been asked by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to distribute the following 10-minute surveys widely. The ACS is seeking input from individuals and organizations to help identify initial priorities for the newly formed American Cancer Society National Roundtable on Cervical Cancer.
According to the ACS, “We hope to hear from persons with the lived experience of either never being screened for cervical cancer, having a positive cervical cancer screening that has required follow-up, or having been diagnosed with cervical cancer or cervical pre-cancer that required treatment, particularly those from historically underrepresented populations and people experiencing health disparities. We encourage you to help us reach these communities with the survey link for patients.” Each survey is the same, with the demographic questions varying for the different groups.
Provider-focused:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NRTCC_Provider
Patient-focused:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NRTCC_Patient
Organizations/health systems-focused:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NRTCC_Partner
We are diligently following developments around this issue at ASCP and hope to quickly rally members when the USPSTF cervical cancer screening guidelines are released. Thank you for your support in this effort and for sharing the survey links with colleagues and patients to continually raise awareness around this critical women’s health issue.
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For more information regarding ASCP's advocacy initiatives and policy positions, please contact ASCP's Center for Public Policy at (202) 408-1110.
ASCP ePolicy News is supported by an unrestricted grant from Hologic.
