Health

CervicalCheck controversy should not undermine vital screening programmes

The vindication of the rights of those who suffer harm because of negligence must be balanced by protection for schemes that save many lives

The furore over the CervicalCheck scandal obscured the fact that it was and is just as good as any other international cervical cancer screening programme. Picture: Collins

Last week, the Business Post reported concerns in the World Health Organisation and the International Agency for Cancer Research about potential negative global impacts on screening programmes in the aftermath of the CervicalCheck controversy in Ireland in 2018. This reporting and analysis continues this week.

Population screening programmes have enormous significance for health outcomes in countries that invest in them. In its guide to screening, the World Health Organisation (WHO) provides the plain language definition ...