New research has found that cervical screening in women aged 20-24 doesn’t cut the risk of cervical cancer over the next five years.

This reassures me that the government’s decision to keep the screening age at 25 was the right one. I had to write about this new study, because cervical cancer screening been the subject of previous posts where I considered the downsides of the screening mania since Jade Goody.

The study, led by Peter Sasieni and his colleagues at Queen Mary University, University of London (kudos to my old university) found that screening between the ages of 30 and 37 was associated with a reduction in cancer risk over the next five years of between 43-60%.

Nevertheless, I am still convinced that it should be our right to get a smear test if we want it. I have heard of women requesting smear tests and being refused. Lowering the cervical screening age may waste tight NHS budgets, but I’m certain that denying our right to healthcare is not fair either.

Cervical smear surgery ‘given needlessly’ to women with borderline results

Smear tests prevent cervical cancer, but under 25s are unlikely to benefit