Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Newly Approved HPV Home Testing Kits Launch Next Month

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first at-home, vaginal-sample self-collection device for cervical cancer screening, according to a press release from the device manufacturer, Teal Health. As an alternative to in-office sampling and screening, the home collection method also includes virtual access to providers who prescribe the sample-collection kit, review the results from the lab, and answer patient questions. After the patient receives the at-home kit and collects the samples using a wand …

Self-Collected Test Identifies 3 Sexually Transmitted Infections

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the Visby Medical Women’s Sexual Health Test, the first at-home test for diagnosing 3 sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in females: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. The hope is that the option will increase the use of testing and thus help prevent transmission of these STIs. No prescription is required, and the test can be used for those with or without symptoms. Each single-use test kit includes a self-collected …

Free Home COVID Tests Launch in September Just as New Vaccine Arrives

This September, U.S. households will again be able to order up to 4 COVID-19 nasal-swab tests from COVIDtests.gov for free. Local health departments will also receive extra funding to offer free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults. Additionally, government-purchased supplies of the antiviral drug nirmatrelvir/ritonavir will be available at no cost to those who are uninsured or on Medicare or Medicaid. The government is also encouraging people to get the newly updated and recently …