Participants in cervical cancer screening will now receive results directly

Flemish Welfare Minister Caroline Gennez has announced a significant change to Belgium's cervical cancer screening program: participants will now receive their test results directly. Previously, only their doctors were informed about the outcome of the Pap smear tests.

The new procedure will send screening results to participants through the secure digital mailbox 'my eBox' or via postal mail. The health portal 'mijngezondheid.be' will also offer access to the results. Simultaneously, the participants' general practitioners will receive the same information, along with clear advice on any necessary follow-up steps.

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How faster people are informed about tests, how better prevention works.

Minister Gennez stated that this direct communication will ensure approximately 400,000 women annually are informed about their screening results more quickly and effectively. "The faster people are informed about tests, the better prevention works," Gennez explained. This initiative allows women to take the initiative for their own health management if needed.

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It is essential that women receive their screening result. This allows them to make well-informed decisions about their health and take timely action if necessary. For abnormalities, prompt follow-up can help prevent or limit serious health problems.

The Center for Cancer Screening (CvKO), the Flemish expertise center for population-based cancer screening, is implementing this direct communication to ensure women know their status promptly. Patrick Martens, director of CvKO, emphasized the importance of this direct feedback for informed health decisions. "It is essential that women receive their screening result," he said. "This allows them to make well-informed decisions about their health and take timely action if necessary. For abnormalities, prompt follow-up can help prevent or limit serious health problems."

This new approach, supported by the Belgian Cancer Registry (BCR) and involved laboratories, aligns with the World Health Organization's global ambition to eliminate cervical cancer. Koen Van Herck of BCR noted the significant investment in data exchange, stating, "It remains a technical challenge, but we are very pleased that we can thus contribute to a stronger and more effective population screening."

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It remains a technical challenge, but we are very pleased that we can thus contribute to a stronger and more effective population screening.