UK Health Professionals to Develop Mobile STD Test Called eSTI²

The UK health professionals are developing a readily available and more private STD test through mobile phones called electronic Self-Testing Instruments for STIs (eSTI²).

This new project is being developed by an association of hospitals in the United Kingdom. It is funded with almost £4 million or $6.4 million by the Medical Research Council and the UK Clinical Research Collaboration.

Lead scientist Tariq Sadiq, a professor at the University of London, said that this test aims to provide people no excuse not to get tested. Most importantly now that sexually transmitted disease (STD) is becoming prevalent and victims are increasing dramatically. However, very few are being detected because most victims are scared to come out and consult their doctors and avoid being ridiculed by the society.

At present, when a person gets infected by the disease, the routine will be to consult the doctor, get tested, and go back for the result in a few days. With this test, a person can readily test himself without a need for a clinic, get accurate on-the-spot results, but still let the doctor know within minutes that you may need a treatment.

The test will require urine and saliva samples onto a special computer chip and plugging it into the phone for analysis for a few minutes then test results for common STD such as gonorrhea, Chlamydia and herpes will appear on the screen. The software also has the potential to include treatment recommendations and directions to the nearest doctor.

Tariq said that this test is best for most youths nowadays who are too shy to get tested. UK scientists plan to make the tests widely accessible. They are planning to distribute the tests in nightclubs’ vending machines, pharmaceutical outlets, and supermarkets for as little as 50p or $0.80 each.