The Self-collection for HPV testing to Improve Cervical Cancer Prevention (SHIP) Trial is a research study being conducted to help researchers determine the if self-collected vaginal samples for HPV testing provides similarly accurate results as cervical sample collected by a doctor.
If the SHIP Trial finds that human papillomavirus (HPV) testing from self-collected vaginal samples is as accurate as samples collected by clinician, self-collection methods may help cervical cancer screening rates by giving people more flexibility and comfort having the ability to collect samples themselves, compared to a doctor performing a speculum examination and collecting the samples in a clinic. The ultimate goal of SHIP is to increase the number of women screened for HPV and cervical cancer and prevent cervical cancer.
At home self-collected sampling is promising but has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cervical cancer testing in the US. The results from the NCI SHIP Study will help the FDA determine if this self-collected sample method can be approved for use at home. The self-collection devices being used in the SHIP Trial are under review by the FDA.