In 2024, CervicalCheck Clinical Director Professor Nóirín Russell was appointed to the Expert Working Group of the European Commission Initiative on Cervical Cancer (EC-CvC). The initiative aims to improve how cervical cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and care are delivered across European countries. Providing expert advice on the Steering Group and a number of sub-committees, Prof Russell gives an update on the initiative and how the work of the group is progressing.
By Professor Nóirín Russell, Clinical Director, CervicalCheck
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet it still affects thousands of women and people with a cervix across Europe every year. The EC-CvC initiative aims to enhance the quality, safety and effectiveness of cervical cancer prevention and care. It supports countries to work towards the shared goal of cervical cancer elimination by strengthening two key areas:
- European Cervical Cancer Prevention Guidelines
- European Quality Assurance (QA) Scheme for cervical cancer services.
A European commitment
Europe's Beating Cancer Plan includes an action for member states to make sure that 90% of people who are eligible are offered cervical cancer screening. To reach this target it means more than increasing coverage - it also means making sure that screening and follow-up care are high quality, safe and consistent, no matter where a person is living.
The EC-CvC helps countries adapt their approaches so that services remain effective, inclusive and fit for the future. Cervical cancer screening and prevention guidelines need to be updated based on the best available evidence and adapted for:
- HPV-vaccinated groups now reaching screening age
- growing population diversity
- socio-economically disadvantaged and minority populations who face barriers in accessing healthcare.
European Cervical Cancer Prevention Guidelines
The European guidelines provide clear, evidence-based recommendations on HPV vaccination, cervical screening and diagnosis of pre-cancer and cancer. They are developed by a multi-disciplinary group of experts and patient representatives and are regularly updated as new evidence becomes available.
Each recommendation explains:
- what is recommended
- how strong the evidence is
- the benefits and possible risks
- what this means for different population groups.
In 2025, in collaboration with the EC Joint Research Centre, the group published its first set of recommendations on the primary screening method for cervical screening and what ages to start and stop cervical screening.
We have now started work to draft recommendations on:
- when to start and stop screening and screening intervals for women who have been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV)
- future screening intervals in women who test negative for HPV
- appropriate triage tests for women who test positive for HPV to assist with deciding who needs onward referral for colposcopy and who can be reassured that their risk of cervical cancer is low.
The European Quality Assurance (QA) Scheme
Alongside the guidelines, the European QA Scheme sets out clear quality and safety requirements for cervical cancer services. These requirements cover the full care pathway, including screening and diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, and survivorship and palliative care.
The scheme is voluntary and flexible, recognising that health systems differ across countries.
Services can use it to:
- assess and improve their current practice
- benchmark against European standards
- apply for formal certification if they wish.
We have started to draft guidelines on quality assurance and quality indicators for cervical screening programmes.
Benefits
The initiative benefits all women and people with a cervix. It’s patient-centred and focused on improving real-world outcomes.
By setting a common baseline for quality care across Europe, the EC-CvC aims to:
- reduce differences in care between countries and regions
- improve screening outcomes and the patient experience
- support earlier diagnosis and better survival.
It’s also a strong example of European collaboration in action. It supports countries to strengthen cervical cancer prevention and care by combining shared standards, robust evidence and a focus on patient needs.
By mid-2026, the group will provide clear, evidence-based guidance on what good cervical cancer prevention and care should look like – from HPV vaccination and screening, right through to diagnosis, treatment and end-of-life care.
The completion and implementation of the new recommendations will mark a major step towards the elimination of cervical cancer in Europe.