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Daye, a gynecological health startup based in the United Kingdom, has introduced a tampon that provides screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to reports from British media on November 6. This “STI Diagnostic Tampon” employs a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to test for five STIs, namely chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma. The tampon is used in lieu of a swab or speculum, as reported by The Guardian. Daye’s aim with this diagnostic tampon is to expedite the process of diagnosis and treatment. According to the startup’s website, women can order the kit online, collect and send their samples to Daye’s partner labs, and subsequently access their results online.
Professor Michelle Tempest from Cambridge University’s medical school, as cited in The Guardian, stated that Daye was revolutionizing STI testing by empowering women to manage their sexual health “in a noninvasive manner from the comfort of their own homes.” Meanwhile, Dr. Amira Bhaiji, an internal medicine physician, praised the tampon as an ideal solution to improve the uptake and accuracy of STI testing. Dr. Bhaiji further noted that the kit would give users “ownership back, which historically has been known to be quite a lonely and very personal struggle for some to overcome.”
However, Dr. Emma Harding-Esch, an epidemiologist, issued a caution about certain forms of at-home testing. Dr. Harding-Esch pointed out that the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (Bashh) deems testing for organisms with doubtful clinical significance, such as ureaplasma, among others, as inappropriate, as it could potentially lead to unnecessary treatment.
Last year, Daye launched a service for screening vaginal microbiomes. The startup reported having “thousands” of customers for this service when speaking to TechCrunch. Daye also asserted that tampons serve as a superior testing device compared to swabs or other protocols administered at clinics, as their test tampons collect more vaginal fluid and cover a larger surface area.
