Dr. Lorraine Doherty:

What I mean by reflex testing is that under our current system of cervical screening, a woman has a smear taken upon which the first test is cytology. If there is any indication of any abnormality on her smear, she has a reflex HPV test. This test is to identify oncogenic types of HPV, particularly type 16 and 18, which are responsible for 70% of all cervical cancers. If a woman has change on her smear plus a positive reflex test, that highlights the fact that she needs to be prioritised for management and referral. That is what we mean by reflex testing. It is a secondary test; it is not the primary screening test.