A Discussion with Hologic’s Tim Simpson on the Future of Cervical Cancer Screening

Thought LeadersTim SimpsonGeneral Manager, UK & IrelandHologic

During Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, NewsMedical spoke with Tim Simpson, General Manager for the UK and Ireland at Hologic, a leader in women's health technology. Hologic is renowned for pioneering early detection and treatment solutions, including 3D mammography and cervical cancer screening. 

Here Tim explores how Hologic is driving crucial discussions on effective testing methods and developing technology to support healthcare systems in obtaining accurate results.

Could you please introduce yourself and provide details of your professional background?

I am Tim Simpson, General Manager for the UK and Ireland at Hologic, a global medical technology innovator primarily focused on improving women’s health and well-being through early detection and treatment.

Its advancements include developing a commercial 3D mammography system to find breast cancer earlier; leadership in testing for cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections and respiratory illnesses; and minimally invasive surgical technologies for uterine fibroids and abnormal uterine bleeding.

The company also champions women through the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, which provides a science-backed data framework for improving women’s well-being.

Can you start by introducing Hologic and its mission, particularly in the context of Cervical Screening Awareness Week?

As a global champion for women's health, we develop cutting-edge solutions to enhance the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of various health conditions.

With regards to cervical screening, we are actively driving important conversations on the most effective methods for testing, as well as developing technology that supports healthcare systems to obtain accurate results quickly and efficiently.​​​​​​

How would you evaluate the current effectiveness of cervical cancer screening programs in the UK and Ireland, and what do you see as the most significant obstacles these programs are encountering?

The cervical screening programme in the UK is well-established, yet we are seeing a worrying trend of declining attendance.  Recent statistics revealed that only 68.7% of eligible women in England were adequately screened, a long way short of the target of 80%.¹

A key priority must be to make screening as accessible as possible and to keep educating and, developing targeted awareness campaigns tailored for different groups of women on the importance of screening, even after receiving the ‘all-clear’ in the past.

While there are potential options on the table that could help with accessibility, like self-sampling for example, research found that it had a significant lower hrHPV positivity compared with clinician-collected samples, so driving attendance to appointments is key.^{​​​​​2} 

Image Credit: MMD Creative/Shutterstock.com

Hologic is known for its innovations in women’s health. Could you highlight some of the latest technological advancements your company has developed to improve cervical cancer screening programs?

Over the past couple of years, we have been working hard on Genius^TM Digital Diagnostics System, a deep learning-based AI algorithm with advanced volumetric imaging technology to identify pre-cancerous lesions and cervical cancer cells.³

Using AI to review diagnostic material enables cytotechnologists and pathologists to increase their efficiency without compromising accuracy. It also allows cyto-screeners to review images remotely.

This means images can be distributed to screeners remotely across a network, making best use of any spare capacity, skill and speeding up the time from initial test to diagnosis. Therefore, Genius^TM Digital Diagnostics System could be used across trusts, facilitating collaboration across the country.

We are excited about its potential to drive positive change across the NHS and cervical screening programmes in the future.​​​​​​

What are some of the main barriers women face when it comes to actually attending cervical screenings, and how is Hologic addressing these issues to make the process easier and accessible?

Fear of embarrassment, pain and lack of understanding are just some of the common reasons why young women are put off attending cervical screenings.⁴ Along with these barriers, it is also crucial to tackle inequalities which prevent women from attending their appointments.

A qualitative study published in the British Medical Journal carried out interviews with both women from ethnically diverse backgrounds and White British women; this found ethnic minority women felt there was a lack of awareness in their community, with some not recognising the terms ‘cervical screening’ or ‘smear test’.⁵

Tackling these inequalities through education, national screening programmes, and new approaches is key to ensuring better health outcomes for more women. Partnering with different organisations, such as charities that hold vital insights into women’s experiences, is also vital to better understanding how we make cervical cancer screening accessible for all.

We developed a Cervical Screening guide that supports and prepares women for what to expect at their screening from start to finish. We hope that addressing the common misconceptions will help women feel empowered to attend their cervical screening appointments.

How significant are awareness campaigns like Cervical Screening Awareness Week in driving public health outcomes, and what role does Hologic play in these initiatives?

Awareness weeks like Cervical Screening Awareness Week have an important role to play in driving public health outcomes by increasing knowledge about cervical screening, encouraging participation, and enabling early detection of cervical cancer.

Campaigns can help to address misconceptions, reach underserved populations, and advocate for better healthcare policies and funding. As a women's healthcare company, we play a crucial role in these initiatives, providing resources and expertise, developing advanced screening technologies, forming partnerships and advocating for improved healthcare policies. Together, we hope these efforts help to enhance screening rates, early detection, and overall health equity.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of cervical cancer screening in the UK and Ireland, and how does Hologic plan to contribute to this vision?

As we look to the future, we are responsible for ensuring that the conversation about cervical health and screening continues beyond awareness days. Only together can we achieve the NHS ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.

As I have mentioned before, it is vital for women to attend their regular cervical screening appointments and receive the HPV vaccination for prevention. However, the responsibility should not lie solely with women; the healthcare industry must also drive innovation, boost access, and tackle inequalities within the cervical cancer screening program.

At Hologic, we share the NHS's vision and will continue to invest in developing our solutions and services to enable healthcare professionals to provide better healthcare to women.

Where can readers find more information?

• Year 3 results, Hologic Global Women’s Health Index: https://hologic.womenshealthindex.com/en?atr=false
• Hologic: Cervical Screening: Prepare for your appointment: https://www.hologic.co.uk/en-gb/cervical-screening

About Tim Simpson

Tim Simpson is the general manager at Hologic, UK and Ireland. Tim joined Hologic in 2019 as UK Country Business Manager, before becoming Hologic UK and Ireland’s General Manager in February 2022.

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