A medical screening test to identify risk of cervical cancer.
Experts from University College London and MHRA have said there is no credible evidence that ethylene oxide–sterilised swabs used in cervical screening endanger patients. The claim on social media about cancer risk has been debunked. Cervical cancer diagnoses in the UK remain around 3,000 annually, and screening uptake has fallen to 66% of eligible women as of 2024.