A recent cervical cancer scandal has come to light and is rocking the Health Service Executive (HSE) of Ireland.

Ireland’s governmental arm for handling cancer prevention activities, the National Screening Service, was discovered to have formerly created three press releases in 2016 concerning a rash of false negative pap smear tests found during a internal audit. Audits of the cervical test unit were typically completed every three years.

According to a report issued online by BBCnews.com, the press releases were claimed to have never been brought to the attention of the active minister of health at the time by Simon Harris currently serving in that capacity.

The cervical cancer scandal has led to the resignation of Tony O’Brien on May 10, 2018, Director General of the HSE. Mr. O’Brien confirmed the authenticity of the three memos prior to vacating his position.

The cervical cancer scandal is just now coming under scrutiny after one of Ireland’s own female citizens filed litigation against the HSE and Clinical Pathology Laboratories of the U.S. which had formerly processed Pap smears for Ireland.

The litigant, Vicki P. of Limerick, held the two defendants liable for a false negative Pap test revealed by a retroactive audit of test results.

Vicki has been given a terminal cervical cancer diagnosis, which she argues could have been prevented had the test been analyzed correctly and the results passed on to her physician in a timely fashion and acted on by him or her.

As it was, the audit’s results were not given to her doctor until 2016 and she was not privy to the information until 15 months later. This is a decision which may eventually cost her life. According to the BBC, Vicki’s lawsuit settled out of court for €2.5 million.

As news of the cervical cancer scandal and legal settlement spread, more information regarding the extent of false negative Pap tests found by audit came to light.

It is believed that over 200 current cervical cancer patients could have benefited from cancer treatment earlier in the disease process and been saved from a grim prognosis.

One of the 200 plus women, Emma N.M., who is currently in her late thirties and dying of cervical cancer, was featured in a film promotion sponsored by the HSE to increase awareness about the availability of the cervical cancer vaccine.

Emma was told by her doctor that if the false negative Pap smear results had been caught back in 2013, she might not be facing a terminal situation at this point.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of Ireland, has recently offered a public apology for the cervical cancer scandal.

According to the BBC’s article, the 200 plus women with advanced cervical cancer whose original tests were found to be falsely negative on audit will be contacted and appropriately compensated in some manner. Free medical care and social and psychological support has been approved at minimum.

Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with advanced stage cervical cancer after getting regular Pap smear tests which came back negative? You many have a legal claim. Compensation could help you and your family members cope with high medical bills and loss of earning capacity during treatment.