Ok, sometimes we come across something pretty cool that we want to share with you and this is pretty cool – at-home STD testing! No more embarrassing or expensive doctor visits… So take just a minute to share this post and help a good cause!
Test It Foundation, a Washington nonprofit organization, plans to run a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo.com to raise money to research and develop an easy, affordable, and discreet at-home STD testing kit. This technology was developed through Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and is capable of diagnosing six major sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). Test It! also plans to partner with health organizations that serve 3rd world and developing countries to distribute this product around the world.
Test It’s home STD testing kit will work in the same way as a pregnancy test, using a urine sample that shows a clear reaction if STDs are present. The STD test kit is projected to cost under $50, significantly cheaper than alternatives. Once developed, the kit should be available in major drugstores, where it can be easily and discreetly purchased. “Our goals are to develop this technology so that it is available to the general public and can be purchased at a drugstore or supermarket and to distribute this technology to third-world and developing countries where healthcare is not readily available,” says information officer Jacob Randall. The kit will screen for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, and herpes.
Advantages Of The Test It! At-Home STD Testing Kits
- Small, easy-to-use, perfect for privacy considerations – rapid diagnosis – reduced feedback time – Lower medical costs for the patient
- Utilizes easily accessible biological samples (urine) -Lower clinical costs for both patient and health care provider.
- Uses lateral flow technology (similar to home pregnancy tests) – Simple, Cost-Effective to build – Lower production costs for the manufacturer.
Potential Applications Of The Test It! At-Home STD Testing Kits
- Use in the privacy of the home.
- Point-of-care diagnostic testing
- Save on Doctor visit costs
Many people avoid STD screening due to their embarrassment or the associated expenses. As a result, the incidence of some infections have grown exponentially because people who are unaware of their infection inadvertently infect their sexual partners.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US reported over 1.6 million STD cases in 2009, and this number is likely only a fraction of the total, since many infections go unreported and undiagnosed. Estimates suggest there are 1.9 million new cases every year, costing the US healthcare system $16.4 billion. A simple and affordable home STD testing kit will provide a convenient way to obtain instant results and will allow every sexually active adult to test themselves regularly.
Test It Foundation plans to distribute these STD tests to developing countries and to make them available to people who cannot afford STD screening at little or no cost. Test It is going to run a crowd-funding campaign on its website, as well as on indiegogo.com starting the first week of December. Many great perks such as being one of the first to own the home STD testing kit, along with fun “Safe is Sexy” t-shirts and apparel will be available along with custom Swiss watches for those that participate in the crowd-funding campaign.
Test It Foundation can be reached at www.testit.org as well as on Facebook at Test It STD kit and on Twitter.
For more information contact
Jacob Randall
Information Officer
Test It Foundation.
info@testitstdkit.com or
360-907-2631