Woman, 54, with terminal cervical cancer settles legal case against HSE and US lab

A 54-year-old woman with terminal cervical cancer has settled a High Court action against the HSE and a US laboratory over alleged misinterpretation of smear tests. The woman, in stage four of the disease, had five smear tests between 2011 and 2018. The case was resolved after mediation, with no admission of liability from the HSE or the US laboratory, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.

The woman's counsel stated that due to delays, she lost the chance of a cure, severely impacting her life expectancy and quality of life. Her cancer went undetected and untreated until a late 2024 hospital visit revealed the diagnosis. The woman had smear tests under the CervicalCheck screening program in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2018, with results showing abnormalities that were not acted upon.

Following an MRI scan in 2024, she began chemotherapy for the cervical tumor. It was argued that if the smear tests had been accurately reported, her care would have been different, potentially preventing the cancer's advancement. The settlement was reached after the High Court managed the case due to the woman's condition.

Mr. Justice Paul Coffey expressed satisfaction that the case had been resolved.