At-home STD tests offer new options for screening and treatment

The FDA approved the first at-home test that detects gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis in women, and regulators also approved a first home kit for the virus linked to cervical cancer and two new gonorrhea drugs; companies are offering rapid home tests that connect with telehealth for follow-up.

Federal regulators approved the first at-home test last year that can detect three common infections in women — gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis — and separately approved a first home-based kit for the virus linked to cervical cancer. The agency also approved two different drugs for gonorrhea late in the year. These developments come after a period when sexually transmitted infections rose and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted screening, education and treatment. The pandemic years also encouraged the adaptation of over-the-counter coronavirus test technology for some sexually transmitted infection tests. Key facts: - The FDA cleared an at-home three-in-one test for women that detects gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis, and it cleared a separate home kit for the virus linked to cervical cancer. - The agency approved two new drugs for gonorrhea, the first such approvals in decades. - A testing company launched a urine-based, home three-in-one test that pairs rapid results with a telehealth consultation for follow-up and possible prescription. - Studies used in the FDA review showed the three-in-one test detected the infections with accuracy rates reported around 98%. Summary: Regulatory approvals last year broadened at-home options for screening and created new treatment choices for one infection. How widely these home tests and new drugs will be used and what further approvals or rollouts will follow are undetermined at this time.