About Us

Compass is a joint initiative between the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer, and the Daffodil Centre.

What we are doing

We now know that long term infection with certain types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. Overseas research has shown that a test for these HPV types is, in fact, a better cervical cancer screening test than the Pap smear.

Compass is a randomized controlled trial to compare 2.5-yearly cytology-based cervical screening with 5-yearly primary HPV screening in Australian women aged 25-69. As of April 2016, we have now completed and closed recruitment of “older” unvaccinated women. Currently, eligible participants are women, aged 25-38 years (born after 30th June 1980), attending for routine screening at Participating Health Practices.

Compass is being carried out by the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer in collaboration with The Daffodil Centre. Trial recruitment is now complete; however, some participants remain under trial follow-up. For more information please see the Participants page.

Principal Investigators

Executive Director – The Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer
MB ChB, Am Bd (Anat Path & Cytopath), FIAC, Grad Dip Med (Clin Epi)

Director, The Daffodil Centre
D.Phil. FAHMS
Professor & NHMRC Leadership Fellow, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney

Other Chief Investigators

  • Dr. Philip Castle
  • Prof. Val Gebski (CTC)
  • A/Prof. Michael Caruana (CCNSW)
  • Ms. Jessica Darlington-Brown (CCNSW)
  • Prof. Julia Brotherton (VCS)

Associate Investigators

  • Mr. David Wrede (RWH)
  • Dr. Jeffery Tan (RWH)
  • A/Prof. Sally Lord (CTC)
  • Dr. Jane Collins (Clifton Hill
  • Medical Centre)
  • Ms. Sandy Anderson (Nurse
  • Pap Test Provider, Ballarat)
  • Dr. Siobhan Bourke (VCS)
  • Dr. David Hawkes (VCS)
  • Ms. Grace Tan (VCS)
  • Dr. Wendy Pakes (VCS)
  • Dr. Alexis Butler (VCS)
  • Ms. Rebecca Asher (CTC)
  • Dr Louiza Velentzis (CCNSW)
  • A/Prof. Megan Smith (CCNSW)
  • Ms. Chloe Jennett (CCNSW)

Scientific Advisory Committee

  • Prof. Bruce Armstrong (Chair)
  • Prof. Jonathan Carter
  • Prof. Rachel Skinner
  • Prof. Suzanne Garland
  • Prof. Andrew Grulich
  • A/Prof. Lyndal Anderson
  • Prof. Deborah Bateson
  • Prof. Eduardo Franco
  • Ms. Bridget Whelan (sadly deceased)
  • Ms. Susan Taylor

Independent Data Safety Monitoring Committee

  • Prof. Michael Quinn (Chair)
  • Clinical A/Prof. Penny Blomfield
  • Prof. Gordon Wright
  • A/Prof. Katrina Sharples

Ethics Approval

The Compass Trial has ethical approval from Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, National Research Evaluation and Ethics Committee (NREEC).

Both HRECs are constituted and operate within the National Health and Medical Research Councils (NHMRC) National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007). The process used by these HRECs the multi-centre research proposals have been certified by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Research and Ethics committees ensure studies are performed to the highest scientific standard and in such a manner that the privacy, sensitivities and rights of each person participating in the research are protected. If you have a complaint or would like to speak to someone who is not involved in the trial, you can contact the below details:

Bellberry Ethics Committee Contact

Regular cervical screening is the best way to prevent cervical cancer in all women and people with a cervix

Self-collection is another option that is now available for cervical screening, and involves taking your own swab from the vagina. Find out more about self-collection here

Understand what happens if HPV is found on your Cervical Screening Test and what happens if more tests are needed.

ACPCC is a not-for-profit organisation and only charges patients the Medicare Schedule fee for pathology services, with only a small gap amount payable. 

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SELF COLLECTION

Screening Processes

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