From mid-2021, Compass trial participants attending for their HPV exit test may be offered the option to access HPV self-collection. Expanding access to self-collection in the Compass trial is in line with progress being made in the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP), following the recommendation by the Medical Services Advisory Committee in May 2021 to have self-collection be made available to all eligible screening participants, and the commitment by the Commonwealth Government to expand self-collection to all women and people with a cervix under the NCSP from 1 July 2022.

Offering self-collection may increase acceptability among participants to complete their final Compass HPV exit test.

At the Compass Register we are particularly noting that some women aged between 70 and 74 years do not wish to undertake exit screening.  The Compass protocol was designed to be in line with the renewed NCSP in relation to the recommended age of ceasing screening, which moved to an exit test between the ages of 70 and 74 years, up from 69 years in the pre-renewal NCSP, a change which is anticipated to prevent significant numbers of additional cervical cancers.

We appreciate that a speculum exam can be particularly uncomfortable for women of this age and so will offer self-collection to participants in the Compass Trial under the Clinical Trial Notification Scheme of the TGA.

Compass trial participants do not need to meet the eligibility criteria currently stipulated in the National Cervical Screening Program self-collection policy (i.e., 2 or more years overdue for screening, declined a speculum examination and are over 30 years of age).

When speaking to participants about the Compass HPV exit test, we ask you to consider self-collection, particularly for those participants who are reluctant to complete screening in line with the renewed NCSP.