Smear Campaign

Yesterday I received a letter from the NCSP telling me I don't need to have any repeat smear tests since I (evidently) have had a full hysterectomy. Obviously, this is not the case (unless I was abducted by aliens over the holidays). Clearly, it is not just the reading of the smear test and bungled pathology that is a problem for NCSP. My GP suspects the NCSP have mistaken me for another Demelza Murphy. This is fine for this kind of mistake, but what if I was told I had cancer, yet the real cancer victim was oblivious of the fact. I am about to ring the NCSP now and sort this out; however I did think of Elizabeth Lennox and feel fortunate that their mistake for me doesnt mean my life - and that it was so blanzingly obvious a mistake. How many other women are being failed by the health system?!?!? If women had the choice for privately / independently tested smear tests that were more fool proof *(at whatever cost), the opportunity would likely be taken by many.

Dear 60 Minutes, I am getting sick of CBS bashing Sara Palin. You left wing nuts are scared to death of her. Your 01/10/10 show just repeated your scares. Your people said that Sara Palin would not be the kind of VP we are used to. Thank God for that. This woman is the kind of person I want into office. Some one with an honest bone in her body. I am sick of the Clintons, Reeds, and Nancy P's of this country. This country is going to HELL in a hand basket and as a tax payer and voter of this country I am sick of it. We need a leader who is not in bed with the left or right. Billie

What a tragic case rare but not improbable.Everyone needs to understand what is a screening test. Cervical screening programmes save lives but are not foolproof although so many misread smears is a huge concern.No test is ever 100% and no one is perfect.We must improve the education regarding the screening and the role of HPV and the facts regarding the HPV vaccine for which the uptake has been dismal in this country a huge travesty because so many think they are not at risk

This story was a shock!! Woman trust in this programme - which seems to have some holes in it. Having had treatment for irregular cells over 10 years ago thankfully picked up by routine smears,I now have a smear every year and feel very safe that all is fine. Seeing this programme has made me, and I assume others - very uneasy about these subsequent results. What do we do to have peace of mind?
My heart goes out to Elizabeth and her family - her story is tragic and she is a very brave courageous lady.

@ Sally McRae

I work with Hazel, the women for the programme and she is the most lovely women you will meet in your life. She works non-stop everyday untill late at night and always works through the w-end. Her tireless efforts towards the NCSP is immense and should be appreciated by all. Why should she apologise for any of this?? It is not her fault we don't have more effective ways of screening women. The process is what it is. Unfortunate for women who are affected, but none the less the reality.

Although this is a horrible horrible situation to occur. It is an innevitable fact that smear tests are not a hundred percent accurate, no matter how well they are read. There is a 20% chance that a result can turn up as a false negative, meaning the cervical cells may be abnormal, but the smear appears normal. This is because a smear test only takes a small sample of the cells in the cervix. Abnormalities can occur deep within the cells and cannot be visible to the naked eye of your GP and or Specialist.

It is a terrible unfortunate occurance that is happened here. Maybe instead of playing the blame game, we can all take a look around at our circumstances and perhaps look at donating such time and energy into financing/contributing resources to find a better way of testing for abnormalities as opposed to the current methods.

The human pappilloma virus is responsible the reason why we all have smears as this is what causes the cells to become abnormal and develop into cervical cancer. More funding into vaccination programmes for HPV would eradicate the need for frequent smear tests which would assist with te cervical screening programme.

My condolences for the family members and this women. My sincerest best wishes go out to you. Although this is a terrible incident, I feel more inclined to look for other ways to prevent this from happening again, than that lose hope in the system all together. What about the 80% of women whos lives were saved as a result of smear tests??

Community Labs ( Private Laboratories) are there to make money, staff are under pressure to read as many slides as possible. Quality is not part of the equation

Hi, I watched this article on tv last night and this case seems almost identical to mine and Colleen Poutsma, when we were both diagnosed with Cervical cancer in 1995.This widely published on tv, papers, and radio, 20/20 at that time did a story on this. I had never had an abnormal smear and yet was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer, I had all smears reread and it was discovered that they were all read incorrectly. I fought both the Doctors, and Pathology labs as well as asking the same questions as elizabeth, I have inserted this link that may be of interest to elizabeth, it just shows that nothing has changed, many women have died because they rely on these tests and despite being on the cervical screening register nothing has changed. If you google search Sharon Pahau (Married name) here are a couple of them http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/246?Open
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tvnz_smartphone_story_skin/46777

How can we continue to have smears taken and not worry that the laboratory technicians will read the results incorrectly??? Especially here in Auckland where we have already experienced loss of confidence in the new preferred supplier of GP lab referrals - LabTests.

I am absolutly horrofied!! how they get it so wrong SO MANY TIMES????, that is giving me the idea that the lab tecnitions are not trained enough. Where I come from we have an smear test every year, why here is every three years? if they did it more often they will be more chances to find out if something is wrong. I will pray for this brave Lady.