In Basildon, England, 32 miles east of London, a scandal has been ignited after an investigation of a local medical laboratory, Pathology First, discovered 31 false negative smear test results for women.

These false negative smear test results had been processed by the lab and labeled clear of all abnormal cervical cellular activity, allegedly to the detriment of the women involved.

Upon closer review of other medical records, another 95 Pap tests were discovered to have been assigned false negative smear test results when, in fact, the cervical cell structure and activity was not decipherable as either normal or abnormal.

According to an article by the Clacton Gazette, the women have since been contacted and advised as to whether it is necessary to have repeat Pap tests and physician review afterwards.

The chairperson of the panel investigating Pathology First indicates in the article that it is their intention to keep a close eye on the medical laboratory currently and for the next few years. Pam Hall wants to ensure the public that there will be no more false negative smear test results coming out of the facility that could endanger the lives of the women in the future, according to the Gazette.

Prior to the invention of the Pap test, cervical cancer was one of the most frequent killers of women. It is believed that the screening prevents up to 80 percent of deaths from this disease presently.

When women are given a screening and a false negative smear test result, the next time they are examined, a cancer might be so far advanced that intervention might be difficult and the disease fatal.

The National Health Service (NHS) and the Pathology First Investigation

The Pathology First investigation was started last year by England’s National Health Service according to the Gazette. The first request was that 2,500 former pap smear patients out of 4,668 be subjected to an additional screening to verify and make sure there were no false negative smear test results.

When the 126 cases were discovered, NHS decided that a focus on a part of the population of former test subjects was inadequate. It concluded that the remaining 2,168 women had to also put through the same secondary Pap smear screen.

A prior statement put out by NHS had postulated that if enough false negative smear test results were found during the investigation, the medical laboratory would have to have prior tests going back two years redone.

The number of these Pap smears were counted at 55,000. To date, however, NHS has decided to limit the reexamination process to the second group of 2,168.

Concerns regarding the medical laboratory’s quality processing of tests has been alleged to be related to staff turnover and staff shortages. The idea has also been raised that Pathology First’s employee training process has been poor at best.

Pap smears must be examined by a keenly-trained human eye under a microscope. There is no shortcut for attention to detail and the NHS hopes to intervene so the women of England can trust the agency with their health.