If you have ever you have a cervical swab, you know how cervical cancer examination can be, especially from inside the cold clinical doctor’s office.
Cervical cancer is very preventive with routine examination. To provide people with the cervix a comfortable and special option for examination, Women Health Health has developed Wild duck stickThe first and home device at home to examine cervical cancer in the United States.
After that FDA approval In May, the wild duck stick is available in California. Here’s how to do it and where you can get one.
How do the wild duck stick work?
“The wild duck stick is a self -alliance device in which the sample collected is sent to a laboratory for a high -risk HPV test using the basic HPV test from the Food and Drug Administration,” said Kara Igan, CEO of Teal Health and co -founder, via e -mail.
The wild duck stick requires a prescription, you can get it through Teal Health Getteal.com. First, you fill out the medical capacity of the medical, request a examination set and make an appointment for a 10 -minute virtual visit with the wild duck provider. (You can see Obgyns and the nurses practicing the Teal team here.) During the date, the provider will review your examination record and discuss the operation. After approving the prescription, a direct group will be shipped to your home.
It takes only a few minutes at home. Printing and videos instructions can help you, and to support the wild ducks can answer questions. When you’re done, only the sample package and ship it to a CLIA approved laboratory with the materials provided. (CLIA, or amendments to the improvement of the clinical laboratory, are the regulations that require any human sampling facility, such as tissues, blood and urine, to diagnose, prevent or treat, to be approved by the Minister of the Ministry of Health and Human Services.)
After the laboratory processing a sample, the Teal provides the results according to the examination guidelines set by the American Association for Higher Endoscopic and Cervical Pathology (ASCP). You will receive results at the safe Teal gate within about a week after sending a sample. You will be given the opportunity to communicate almost with the Teal provider to discuss any of the following steps. If the follow -up care is needed, the Teal team will coordinate your referral.
What does the wild duck stick test?
As in the doctor’s office, your sample is tested for 14 types of high -risk HPV virus (HPV), which represents the highest risk of causing cervical cancer.
According to the World Health Organization, 99 % of cervical cancer cases It is associated with the infection of the HPV. Initial HPV tests are the most sensitive tests recommended by the American Cancer Society and the American Preventive Services Services for Cervical Cancer.
According to Teal Health, wild duck stick Roche Copas uses The basic HPV test, the same test that your doctor will use. The national clinical experience in Teal also concluded that “the self -alliance using a precise wild duck stick like going to the clinic where the service provider collects the sample using speculation and HPV tests.” The wild duck stick is simply a different way to collect the sample.
Who can use the wild duck stick?
There are three types of cervical cancer tests: initial HPV test every five years, PAP tests every three years and joint tests combine the HPV test with PAP test every five years.
According to ASCCP instructions, the basic HPV test through the self -alliance, which is used by the wild duck stick, is suitable for People are in average risk For cervical cancer. Teal Health follows the instructions of the American Cancer Society, which recommends the HPV test every five years People between the ages of 25 and 65 Those who have a healthy cervix.
Note that the United States Centers to control and prevent diseases (CDC) recommend that people are between The ages range between 30 and 65 Get a HPV test, cervical test, or each participating test. (This differs from the recommendation of the American Cancer Society, which begins at the age of 25 instead Start in cervical tests Early of the age of 21.
For those over the age of 65, consult your doctor. You may not need to check you anymore if you receive normal or negative results from at least three PAP tests or HPV tests in the past ten years, or if the cervix has been removed during total uterine eradication of non -cancerous cases such as fibrous.
Regardless of how, it is important to examine regularly, even if you are vaccinated against HPV. If you are not sure of the appropriate test for you, your doctor can help you make a decision.
Who should not use the wild duck stick?
Igan said that the self -alliance with the wild duck stick is not currently recommended to:
- Patients with the history of cancer in the reproductive system
- Patients with HIV (HIV)
- Patients suffering from des (Deethylstilbestol, an artificial form of estrogen)
- Patients with immunity suppression
- Patients who were exposed to cervical cancer treatment, such as leep (cyclic circumcision procedure) or cold knife cone
- Patients pregnancy or within six weeks of birth
Does the wild duck stick replace the cervix blur?
The wild duck stick is not the same as the cervical mutilation (cervical cell science). Instead of the office, the samples collected with doctors with guess, as is the case with the cervical mutilation, allows the examination of the primary HPV samples.
Wild ducks It describes the cervical tin Since it is less sensitive compared to the HPV test because it can only detect cell changes as soon as they occur, there is a possible sign of the presence of cancer already. For this reason, cervical swabs are often performed from the first HPV test (every three years to five years). On its own, PAP also does not experience the HPV, which is the main cause of almost all cervical cancers.
“Globally, cervical cancer is often called a cervical smear, but the distortion of PAP, along with the HPV test, are both types of tests to examine cervical cancer.” “HPV examination using a wild duck stick is a substitute for a personally examination.”
In other words, once you use the wild duck stick, you do not need to take the test again in your doctor’s office. However, if your results are abnormal and positive for HPV, you may need an additional personal test, such as vaginal endoscopy or cervical staining, to verify cell changes. Your Teal provider will advise you accordingly, according to medical guidance, based on the type of HPV discovered and your examination date.
While Teal Health aims to help people see a cervical cancer examination, it is always recommended to continue the personal care visits.
How much is the wild duck stick? Can you use insurance?
With selected insurance companies, a full -time examination experience is available with healthcare consultations for $ 99. Without insurance, it is $ 249, but it is qualified to get HSA/FSA costs.
Teal Health currently works with the following insurance plans in California, Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California and United Healthcare. The company aims to expand its coverage and provide financial assistance when needed.
When will the wild duck stick available outside California?
Teal Health plans to provide wild duck stick all over the United States before the end of 2026.
What is the purpose of wild duck stick?
According to Agean, Teal Health is on a mission to improve women’s health care experiences. TEAL Health is also a member of a round -cervical cancer table, a cooperation between the American Cancer Society and Biden Cancer Moonshot, an alliance of industrial leaders who work to eliminate cervical cancer as public health operations in the United States.
“By creating a woman’s option to examine cervical cancer from the comfort of the house and provide a remote follow -up follow -up, TEAL can increase the access to a life -saving cancer examination, and more women are examined and work to eliminate cervical cancer in the United States, because it is the only cancer that can be prevented almost 100 % with the appropriate examination,” Igan said.
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