Teal Health's new DIY cervical cancer screening test, designed like a tampon, aims to make the uncomfortable process of Pap smears more accessible and private for women. Approved by the FDA, this first-of-its-kind test allows women to collect their samples at home, potentially increasing screening rates in the US, where one in four women are overdue for their tests. While it cannot fully replace pelvic exams, it offers a promising alternative to enhance cervical cancer screening accessibility and comfort.
"It's just a new way of collecting the sample, it's not a new test," Teal Health CEO Kara Egan told Business Insider. "You can actually eliminate cervical cancer in the US, if we actually screen."
In testing of over 600 women at 16 clinical trial sites nationwide, Teal found that 98% of users get an accurate test result on their first try, and 94% of participants preferred it to getting their test in a doctor's office.
"Any method that can actually bring screening to patients and overcome some of the barriers that prevent women from getting appropriate screening will be exciting and important," Dr. Melissa Frey, a gynecologist, remarked.
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