Opinion

HPV self-collection has repeatedly been associated with greater privacy, physical ease, and personal control, while minimizing discomfort and embarrassment linked to pelvic examinations. As a result, it has been shown to improve screening participation among women who are under-screened in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (1–3). More recently, research indicates that HPV detection using menstrual blood may offer a practical and non-invasive alternative, with performance in certain contexts approaching that of clinician-obtained cervical specimens (4). These strategies hold promise for extending screening access to women who encounter structural, logistical, or interpersonal obstacles to clinic-based services.

Knowledge acquisition extends beyond formal training to include experience, reflection, observation, and collaborative brainstorming. When these organically developed insights are combined with structured scientific knowledge, they can generate innovative ideas to address complex and unresolved challenges. In this context, we propose an expanded interpretation of the Third Science that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries and addresses…