May 8, 2026 • 5 mins
In 2023, New Zealand made a very important switch, moving from traditional cervical screenings to HPV screenings. Since then, cervical screening rates have increased significantly – particularly as a result of self-screening.
What is HPV screening?
- 170 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed per year, but there are only 50 deaths per year – it’s preventable
- HPV screening tests are for ‘Human papillomavirus’, the virus that causes almost all cervical cancers
- It has replaced the traditional smear (cytology) test in cervical screening program
- It’s recommended for women aged 25–69, every five years if the HPV test is negative
- It’s a simple self-test vaginal swab
- If HPV is detected, further testing such as a cervical smear or there will be a referral straight to specialist
Why HPV screening is better than traditional cervical screening?
- It detects the cause, not just the changes.
- The old smear test looked for abnormal cells, while the HPV test detects the virus that causes the changes that lead to cervical cancer
- This means the earlier identification of risk
- HPV testing is significantly more accurate at detecting the risk of cervical cancer – fewer cases are missed compared to cytology
- It’s safe to screen every five years instead of three
What are the other advantages?
- It reduces barriers to testing; it’s less invasive, less embarrassing, and there’s less discomfort
- More women are taking up screening as result
- International evidence shows HPV screening detects more pre-cancer earlier and leads to greater reductions in cervical cancer rates
The take home message?
- HPV screening is a more accurate, earlier, and more effective way to prevent cervical cancer
- It allows longer intervals, self-testing, and better access
- It’s a major step forward from traditional smear-based programmes
- See your doctor or nurse to talk about it
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Our Reason in GP. Doctor Brian Betty is with us
this morning from Adelaide. Of all places, you know that
this is my my uh well sort of two dong a.
Why why Brian? This is where my my one half
my family's from.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Oh is it fantastic? It looks it is a fantastic city.
It's a really underrated state I think in Australia and
it's just a great place to be.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Where about to you at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
And we're right in the center of Adelaide, place called Fullerton,
just just one of the suburbs here. Went to an
AFL game last night, the Bulldogs versus Port Adelaide and
you know how good thirty eight thousand people there. Yeah
at the Oval, Yeah, great facilities it was. It was fantastic.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
So outside that school board at the Oval of course.
Oh yes, yes, So my family is from Glenside, which
is right next door to Fullerton.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
That's right, Yeah, that's right, right. Yeah. Well, the reason
I'm here I actually had a practice here many years
ago for nine years up in the country in the
South Winders in front. Yeah, it was a country doctor
here for about nine years. That it's called Port Pirie,
which is about three hours north of Adelaide.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, yeah, very good. I obviously no idea. There you go.
Small world.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
This is a small world, isn't it? Isn't it?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Anyway? This morning we are focusing on New Zealand's cervical
screening program and we've had a switch to the self
swabbing model. Right, So what is HPV screening?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, look really important and really important to talk about.
So look, basically what it's about is civical cancer. So
we have about one hundred and seventy cases a year
of spical cancer diagnosed every year in New Zealand, and
there's actually about fifty deaths per year, often of young
woman from this very preventable disease. So HPV screening tests
(01:58):
for something called the human papaloma virus HPVs. That's what
it stands for, and this is the virus that causes
almost all savior cancers. Now it replaces the traditional cervical smear,
which a lot of women will be very familiar with
in the cvical screening program. Now it's recommended for women
age twenty five to sixty nine. Every five years to
(02:22):
be tested. And it's a very very simple test. The
woman does it self in private. It's a vaginal swab,
it's done at the clinic, very very easy to do,
and if HPV is detected in the swab, then we
do go to a further test such as a spical smear,
or with certain types of HPV we refer straight to
the specialist because there's quite a risk. So really, really
(02:46):
a groundbreaking change that's occurred in the last couple of years.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And so why is that HPV screening so much better
than the traditional cervical smear test.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It detects the cause, which is this virus, not just
abnormal changes in the cells. Okay, so the old smear
test looked for abnormal cells. Test to text the virus
that causes the changes that lead to civical cancer. So
this means essentially earlier identification of a high risk a
(03:17):
woman at risk of civical cancer. And that's the basic
thing that happens. Now. HPB testing and all the studies
that have been done has been shown to be a
lot more accurate at detecting the risk of civical cancer
and so fewer cases are actually messed missed compared to
the old cervical screening. So and the other big big
(03:38):
thing is it's every five years rather than every three years.
So there's big, big advantages to civical screening using the
HPV screening.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Other advances too, just being able to do it at
home in private and stuff must be helpful.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Right, Yeah, so you actually do it at the clinic
and private, so it's not done at time, but you
do it at the clinic. But that that's important to state.
But yeah, look, it reduces the barriers to testing. So
you know, the old cervical smear test for a lot
of women was actually quite invasive it was. Doing this
HPV testing is less embarrassing and there's actually less discomfort
(04:11):
with it, so there's less barriers to actually having the
test done. And what's really really pleasing about this, we've
seen a big, big uptake in these tests being done
across the country, particularly in Mari and Pacific Woman and
that's really really important because those rates were really quite low.
So yeah, this has been a big step forward and
(04:31):
it's a really positive step. And yeah, very very pleased
that it's been introduced across New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, great, So HPV screening is more accurate. You can
get it earlier. It's a more effective way of preventing
cervical cancer, allows for longer interve it was five years
instead of three years self testing. It's a big step
forward to really really good to hear about it. Hey,
thank you so much, Brian. Enjoy your time and Adelaide,
you're going to go down to go down to the
markets or something like that. You'll be off to burn.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Oh and after the markets this morning. Yeah, yeah, you.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Know that the South Australian day because they're so good
that compares to the kind of gummy ones we often
get in New Zealand. They're really really right, they're amazing.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Okay, I'll make sure I grabbed something, all right, thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
You can get them at a packet so you're allowed
to bring them home, don't worry. Well, you can kick
it off when you get here. Thank you, Brian.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to News Talks ed B from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Our Reason in GP. Doctor Brian Betty is with us
this morning from Adelaide. Of all places, you know that
this is my my uh well sort of two dong a.
Why why Brian? This is where my my one half
my family's from.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Oh is it fantastic? It looks it is a fantastic city.
It's a really underrated state I think in Australia and
it's just a great place to be.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Where about to you at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
And we're right in the center of Adelaide, place called Fullerton,
just just one of the suburbs here. Went to an
AFL game last night, the Bulldogs versus Port Adelaide and
you know how good thirty eight thousand people there. Yeah
at the Oval, Yeah, great facilities it was. It was fantastic.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
So outside that school board at the Oval of course.
Oh yes, yes, So my family is from Glenside, which
is right next door to Fullerton.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
That's right, Yeah, that's right, right. Yeah. Well, the reason
I'm here I actually had a practice here many years
ago for nine years up in the country in the
South Winders in front. Yeah, it was a country doctor
here for about nine years. That it's called Port Pirie,
which is about three hours north of Adelaide.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, yeah, very good. I obviously no idea. There you go.
Small world.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
This is a small world, isn't it? Isn't it?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Anyway? This morning we are focusing on New Zealand's cervical
screening program and we've had a switch to the self
swabbing model. Right, So what is HPV screening?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, look really important and really important to talk about.
So look, basically what it's about is civical cancer. So
we have about one hundred and seventy cases a year
of spical cancer diagnosed every year in New Zealand, and
there's actually about fifty deaths per year, often of young
woman from this very preventable disease. So HPV screening tests
(01:58):
for something called the human papaloma virus HPVs. That's what
it stands for, and this is the virus that causes
almost all savior cancers. Now it replaces the traditional cervical smear,
which a lot of women will be very familiar with
in the cvical screening program. Now it's recommended for women
age twenty five to sixty nine. Every five years to
(02:22):
be tested. And it's a very very simple test. The
woman does it self in private. It's a vaginal swab,
it's done at the clinic, very very easy to do,
and if HPV is detected in the swab, then we
do go to a further test such as a spical smear,
or with certain types of HPV we refer straight to
the specialist because there's quite a risk. So really, really
(02:46):
a groundbreaking change that's occurred in the last couple of years.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And so why is that HPV screening so much better
than the traditional cervical smear test.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It detects the cause, which is this virus, not just
abnormal changes in the cells. Okay, so the old smear
test looked for abnormal cells. Test to text the virus
that causes the changes that lead to civical cancer. So
this means essentially earlier identification of a high risk a
(03:17):
woman at risk of civical cancer. And that's the basic
thing that happens. Now. HPB testing and all the studies
that have been done has been shown to be a
lot more accurate at detecting the risk of civical cancer
and so fewer cases are actually messed missed compared to
the old cervical screening. So and the other big big
(03:38):
thing is it's every five years rather than every three years.
So there's big, big advantages to civical screening using the
HPV screening.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Other advances too, just being able to do it at
home in private and stuff must be helpful.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Right, Yeah, so you actually do it at the clinic
and private, so it's not done at time, but you
do it at the clinic. But that that's important to state.
But yeah, look, it reduces the barriers to testing. So
you know, the old cervical smear test for a lot
of women was actually quite invasive it was. Doing this
HPV testing is less embarrassing and there's actually less discomfort
(04:11):
with it, so there's less barriers to actually having the
test done. And what's really really pleasing about this, we've
seen a big, big uptake in these tests being done
across the country, particularly in Mari and Pacific Woman and
that's really really important because those rates were really quite low.
So yeah, this has been a big step forward and
(04:31):
it's a really positive step. And yeah, very very pleased
that it's been introduced across New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, great, So HPV screening is more accurate. You can
get it earlier. It's a more effective way of preventing
cervical cancer, allows for longer interve it was five years
instead of three years self testing. It's a big step
forward to really really good to hear about it. Hey,
thank you so much, Brian. Enjoy your time and Adelaide,
you're going to go down to go down to the
markets or something like that. You'll be off to burn.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Oh and after the markets this morning. Yeah, yeah, you.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Know that the South Australian day because they're so good
that compares to the kind of gummy ones we often
get in New Zealand. They're really really right, they're amazing.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Okay, I'll make sure I grabbed something, all right, thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
You can get them at a packet so you're allowed
to bring them home, don't worry. Well, you can kick
it off when you get here. Thank you, Brian.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to News Talks ed B from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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