Serena-backed health tech lands first FDA approval for home cervical cancer test

For the archetypal time, the FDA has just approved a instrumentality that lets radical surface for cervical crab from home.

Known arsenic the Teal Wand, from the institution Teal Health, the medicine instrumentality lets patients self-collect samples and message them to a laboratory to person the aforesaid investigating arsenic would beryllium done astatine a doctor’s office. 

Teal Health announced a $10 cardinal effect extension circular successful January, bringing its full backing magnitude to $23 million, TechCrunch covered astatine the time. Investors successful the circular included Serena Ventures, Chelsea Clinton, Emerson Collective, and Forerunner. The instrumentality seeks to pat into the information that getting screened for cervical cancer, besides known arsenic getting a pap smear, tin beryllium rather intimidating for galore people. 

“Cervical crab screenings are the astir important and often the introduction constituent to a woman’s wellness relationship,” Egan, co-founder and CEO, told TechCrunch successful January. “More than 1 successful 4 women are presently down connected this life-saving screening.”

Cervical crab utilized to beryllium 1 of the astir communal cancers for women, but much screening and prevention person helped alteration this, per the American Cancer Society. The Wand Kit volition see the postulation instrumentality and virtual entree to aesculapian providers who volition reappraisal the laboratory results with the patient. Kits go disposable successful June, starting successful California.