Professor of the regions slow introduction of hpv test: It is a health scandal

About 550 women get cervical cancer every year in Sweden and 160 women die from the disease. Virtually all cervical cancers are caused by HPV, human papillomavirus.

Since 2015, the National Board of Health therefore recommends that women who are 30 years and older should primarily be tested for human papillomavirus, hpv, in their gynecological cell test. But SVT's survey shows that only 13 out of 21 regions follow the recommendations - four years later.

Joakim Dillner, professor of infectious disease and chairman of the National Quality Register for Cervical Cancer Prevention, thinks it is upsetting.

- I find it almost incomprehensible when it is well known that it provides increased protection against cancer and is also cost-neutral. When you have clearly shown that we have better opportunities to provide better cancer protection to Sweden's women then you should really take advantage of it.

Since 2014, the number of women who have cervical cancer has increased dramatically - by about 100 cases, to about 550 cases annually.

Joakim Dillner believes that the increase in cancer cases could have been prevented if the new program had already been used when it was officially recommended.

- We see most of the increase in women who have participated in screening according to the old program and have been told about a normal cell test, which is very alarming.

Is it a health scandal?

- Yes I would actually say it is.