Can Canada still eliminate cervical cancer by 2040?

Doctors are calling for action. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and rates in Canada had been dropping for years. Canada had even pledged to eliminate it completely by 2040. Not anymore. Rates have plateaued, and cervical cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer and fourth leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide. Is Canada still on track? On this episode, we talk about the causes of cervical cancer, how prevention strategies fall short because of vaccine hesitancy, how under-served communities are at risk and what jurisdictions around the world are on track to eliminate cervical cancer. Guests: Michelle Halligan Director of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and Nakia Lee-Foon, a Health equity researcher at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners. Research links: Disparities in the allocation of research funding to gynecologic cancers by Funding to Lethality scores https://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(18)31302-7/abstract Denmark could eradicate cervical cancer by 2040: study https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/denmark-could-eradicate-cervical-cancer-by-2040-study/  Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2150132721992195 Researchers redesign vaginal speculum to ease fear and pain https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/researchers-redesign-vaginal-speculum-to-ease-fear-and-pain/  New vaginal speculum design might motivate women to go for health checkups https://www.tudelft.nl/en/ide/delft-design-stories/new-vaginal-speculum-design-might-motivate-women-to-go-for-health-checkups  Cervical cancer is ‘fastest-rising’ form in Canada as doctors urge action https://globalnews.ca/news/11698821/cervical-cancer-cases-rising-canada/  Progress Against Cervical Cancer in Canadahttps://health-infobase.canada.ca/cancer/progress-against-cancers/reports.html?type=1  New Canadian Cancer Statistics report suggests Canada may fall short of its 2040 goal to eliminate cervical cancer https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/media-releases/2025/canadian-cancer-statistics-2025  https://www.instituteforbetterhealth.com/member/lee-foon-nakia/  https://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.