Elizabeth Janet MacGregor

Janet Elizabeth Macgregor (née McPherson; 12 January 1920 – 8 October 2005) was a Scottish physician and cytologist who pioneered the first successful screening trial programme for cervical cancer in the United Kingdom. Her work helped lead to a significant decrease in women's deaths from cervical cancer.

Early life and education Janet Elizabeth McPherson was born at Lynedoch Place, Glasgow on 12 January 1920 to Jean (née Craig) (1886–1929) and Andrew MacPherson (1888–1946), a company secretary. She had two younger sisters, Agnes Jean and Margaret, and an elder brother, Andrew MacPherson, a flying officer for the RAF who was awarded the first DFC of the Second World War in 1939. In an article in the British Medical Journal co-authored by Macgregor and Baird they stated that cervical cytology has now passed beyond the experimental stage' and that cervical cancer could largely be prevented by cytological detection and treatment of a pre-invasive stage. Having seen the effects of cervical cancer in practice Macgregor took the findings of research and put them into practice, encouraging women to undergo screening. She spoke with general practitioners, convincing them that their patients should be screened. She and the team at the university kept records of the screenings, and she collaborated with statisticians to evaluate the effectiveness of screening.

Personal life She met her husband Alastair Goold Macgregor (1919–1972) while they were students at university. They married at University of Glasgow chapel on 3 October 1944, and together had four children, one daughter and three sons.

She retired to the Isle of Seil. She died of cerebrovascular disease on 8 October 2005 at the Lynn of Lorne Nursing Home, Benderloch, near Oban.