In this episode of GynoCurious, host Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Dr. Miriam Cremer, board-certified OBGYN, master of public health, and founder of Basic Health International, for a deep dive into cervical cancer. Together they unpack the science of human papillomavirus (HPV), explaining how 13 high-risk HPV types cause 99% of all cervical cancers and why HPV is so ubiquitous that it's often compared to the common cold. They walk through the evolution of cervical cancer screening, from the classic Pap smear to co-testing with HPV, and discuss how primary HPV testing — already standard across Europe — is likely the future of care in the United States.

Dr. Cremer shares the origin story of Basic Health International, which grew from a formative medical school rotation in rural El Salvador where she witnessed a young mother die from cervical cancer — a death that was entirely preventable. The conversation covers cutting-edge developments in screening and treatment, including HPV self-sampling kits, AI-assisted cervical imaging apps, and portable thermal ablation devices that can be carried in a backpack and used in remote communities. These innovations are enabling same-day "screen and treat" programs that are reaching women in underserved regions across Latin America and beyond, including a now-national HPV screening program in El Salvador.

They also cover patient fears and misconceptions head-on — from the stigma of an HPV diagnosis to questions about condom protection, the HPV vaccine (including catch-up vaccination up to age 45), and when screening can safely stop. Dr. Cremer and Dr. Novatt emphasize that cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable, and that the women most at risk today are those who have fallen through the cracks of healthcare access — not those who are regularly screened.

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Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff