'It's not merely a cost-saving measure': Medical Association president defends changes which will see women going for pap smears every FIVE years instead of two... as 69,000 people sign petition against it

• AMA president Dr Michael Gannon penned open letter
• 69,000 signed petition against National Cervical Screening Program changes
• Gannon said changes reflect that most teens have been vaccinated against HPV
• Said the two-year requirement led to unnecessary anxiety and even surgeries 
• These surgeries eventually helped cause preterm births, Gannon argued  

The president of the Australian Medical Association has spoken out after thousands signed a petition against planned cervical screening changes.

More than 69,000 people signed a Change.org petition after it was revealed women will now be advised to have a pap smear every five years, rather than two.

Dr Michael Gannon has written a letter defending the change, to commence on May 1, after thousands argued it will put women's health in unnecessary danger.

Under the new guidelines, women will receive a pap smear with the National Cervical Screening Program every five years.

The age screening is to begin has also been upped from 18 to 25 years. 

In an open letter, Dr Gannon wrote that the changes are 'fabulous good news' for girls and women in Australia. 

Dr Gannon said the new guidelines reflect an increased understanding of cervical cancer, arguing that the petition against them was 'misinformed and misguided'.

'The new guidelines have been developed over many years by an eminent panel of Gynaecologists, Pathologists, Clinicians, and Scientists,' he wrote. 

'They have been meticulously reviewed...and represent a further improvement to the Cervix Cancer screening program, which was already the world’s best.' 

Dr Gannon wrote that the new guidelines reflect the fact that most young teenagers, male and female, have since been vaccinated against HPV. 

'These changes will mean that millions of women can perfectly safely reduce the number of times they face the nuisance, expense, and discomfort of having Pap smears,' he added.

Furthermore, Dr Gannon said the changes will safe thousands of women from the anxiety of an abnormal Pap smear that could lead to an unnecessary colposcopy or even surgery.  

'The natural history of HPV infection is that, in many cases, especially in healthy, young non-smokers, the immune system will eliminate the virus without treatment,' he wrote. 

'These women need not have surgery.' 

Dr Gannon then explained that cutting down the number of women having surgery would lead a reduce in the 'short and medium term risks' that come with it - such as infection, haemorrhage and cervical stenosis. 

This, he argued, would also reduce the number of children born preterm.  

'In many women, preterm birth occurs secondary to a deficiency in the defence mechanism that a length of closed cervix provides,' he explained. 

'A reduction in the number of women having surgery on the uterine cervix will be expected to reduce the incidence of prematurity.' 

Dr Gannon noted that the changes will save millions of dollars for taxpayers, but added that it was not 'merely a cost-saving measure'. 

'This is a well thought out, evidence-based change to Gynaecological practice, which will be a bonanza for improvements in child health,' he wrote. 

Dr Gannon did admit that the 'only downside' to the change is the other 'health promotion opportunities' women receive by visiting their GP every two years. 

But, he added, it remains essential that women continue to report and see their GP in the case of abnormal bleeding.  

'This is a good news story for not only the health of Australian women and girls, but that of their future children,' he concluded in the letter. 

'The fact that it is likely to be cost-effective is an added bonus for the taxpayers who fund the success story that is Australia’s NCSP.'