Reply To: Is self-sampling as good as a clinician taking it?

For HPV testing, self collected samples perform comparably to clinician collected ones, which is why programmes have started offering it. The test looks for the virus, and it does that well on a self collected sample.

The catch is the follow up: if HPV is found, you will usually still need an appointment for a closer look. Self sampling is a way into the pathway, not a replacement for all of it.