The criticism against the National Board of Health's investigation of HPV test: "It is very slow" 

For almost a month, cell samples to detect cervical cancer precursors have been paused in a dozen of the country's regions, at the risk of spreading the coronavirus. 

The patient organization The Network Against Gynecological Cancer wants the women who are now losing cell testing to be offered self-sampling for HPV virus - which causes cell changes - in the home. The National Board of Health and Welfare is currently investigating the issue, but decisions are delayed. 

- It's very slow. You cannot allow the regions to stop cell sampling without, in the meantime, accepting a temporary regulation that allows home testing for HPV, says Barbro Sjölander, chair of the Gynecological Cancer Network.

She thinks it is too slow for the authority to change its regulations and make decisions on the matter. 

- It takes way too long. The government is drafting one regulation after another during the crisis, why should this be so terribly complicated? As it is now, one virus kills another virus.

Barbro Sjölander is also critical that the National Board of Health says it needs to make a medical assessment of the self-tests available for HPV virus. Self-sampling is already used today in some regions to catch the women who are missing from cell samples. 

- I think it is very upsetting that the National Board of Health and Welfare should do a new study. This is a unique situation.