Dr Robert O'Connor: Screening saves lives, but is not infallible

Dr Robert O’Connor of the Irish Cancer Society: 'We must continue to strive for improvement when it comes to tests such as smears'

Vicky Phelan 'had to battle her way through the courts to get justice'.

There has been much coverage of the cervical cancer screening programme over the past week as a result of the case of Vicky Phelan, who was given incorrect results following a smear test and who is now terminally ill. Tests such as smears are a vital part of identifying if a cancer is present, or if there are conditions which, if left untreated, might lead to a cancer.

We have made significant technological ...