How to Prevent and Screen for Cancer of the Cervix: HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Testing and Vaccination
Dr. Monique Bertrand was a practicing Gynecologic Oncologist in Canada for over 40 years and a Professor of Medicine and academic researcher in the medical schools at the Universities of Ottawa, British Columbia and, most recently, since 2004, here at Western University. Recently retired, she maintains a position as Professor Emeritus in the faculty of Medicine at Western and has taken on various advocacy positions in efforts to combat cancer of the cervix nationwide.
Although her career largely focused on the care of women with gynecologic malignancies, it was in the areas of prevention and screening of cervical cancer that she was especially engaged from the beginning of both her clinical and academic careers. This interest eventually led to her involvement with a national society, the Society of Colposcopists of Canada (SCC), with whom she initially participated in setting educational programs across Canada, and eventually served as President. Subsequently she represented the SCC at various provincial and national organizations, such as the Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Network (CCPCN). She was also involved in establishing national guidelines for cervical cancer screening in Canada and was a Canadian representative for the setting of international screening standards, at a convention in Bethesda, USA. Furthermore, she was asked to directly participate in setting up a Cervical Cancer Screening Program in the country of Ecuador.
Dr. Bertrand has been a strong advocate for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. As such, she co-chaired the Pan-Canadian Cervical Cancer Screening Network (PCCSN) HPV Vaccine Working Group and represented this group on the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). She was also involved with the Federation of Medical women of Canada (FMWC). In addition to having been a past President of the FMWC, she was involved in its presentation to the members of parliament in Ottawa to designate an “HPV Prevention Week” and in Toronto, to speak to Members of the Legislature to advocate for the school HPV vaccine program to include both boys and girls.
In 2021 Dr. Bertrand was appointed to the position of Expert Advisor, Cervical Cancer Screening at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC), a position she held until early 2025. Her involvement at CPAC included Co Chair of the Pan-Canadian Cervical Cancer Screening Network (PCCSN). In this role, she continued to advance both the goals of the WHO with respect to the Elimination of Cancer of the Cervix globally and more specifically the goals of the Partnership as set out in an Action Plan for the Elimination of Cancer of the Cervix in Canada.