Team PACT

Background

Team PACT stands for Preventive and Accessible Cervical Cancer Testing. We formed in the M-HEAL Incubator in fall 2021 and we are officially an M-HEAL  project team as of fall 2023. Team PACT is aimed at supporting women who are under screened for cervical cancer, specifically women with physical disabilities. We have a Research and Development sub-team and a Business sub-team.

Our Mission

Our mission is to design a cervical cancer screening urine collection device for people with disabilities who are unable or uncomfortable with getting tested by a medical professional. Pap smears are the current standard for cervical testing. It is found that women between ages 21 and 65 years with disabilities ranged from 66% to 80% in rates for getting tested for cervical cancer, compared with women without disabilities (81%). We found that the most common reasons for women in Detroit with disabilities not getting tested for cervical cancer are due to discomfort with invasive testing and/or an inability to use non-invasive tests. 

Based on these findings, our team is working to design a device for individuals to use themselves at home. We are currently prototyping this device using a 3D print and we are looking to make a model using practical  materials, followed by testing in a lab and with patients. Designed specifically to accommodate people who have dexterity difficulties, our device will be more user-friendly than existing devices.

Project Leads