A small international expert group, convened by WHO is meeting this week at PAHO to develop a new guideline on cervical cancer prevention and control, based on the new evidence which has emerged over the past several years on HPV vaccines, new screening tests as well as new approaches to prevention including single visit screen and treat methods. The group will finalize a comprehensive guide book, intended for those health providers designing and delivering services aimed at reducing the burden of cervical cancer.

The guidebook will provide new knowledge, practical guidance, and communication strategies for health care providers working at community level, primary and secondary levels of care for issues related to counseling, screening, HPV vaccination, precancer treatment, invasive cancer treatment, palliative care and programmatic considerations. This guide is being developed in accordance with the WHO process for guideline development, which evaluates effectiveness of interventions based on available evidence using the GRADE (grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation) approach and then formulates recommendations based on that assessment. The aim is to launch the new guide before the end of the year.