FDA Approves First At-Home Syphilis Test

With syphilis cases surging in the US, the FDA has approved what it sees as a potential tool to help keep the numbers in check—the first at-home test. The kit made by NowDiagnostics allows people to test themselves for the STD using a drop of blood from their finger with results ready in about 15 minutes, reports the Washington Post. However, the FDA cautions that a positive test "should be followed by additional laboratory testing through a health care provider to confirm a diagnosis," in a release. The $30 tests are expected to be widely available in pharmacies and elsewhere in September.

The idea is to get far more people screened for the bacterial infection, including those who might be leery of seeing their own doctor about it, says the FDA's Michelle Tarver, per Reuters. Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics if caught early, but it can be fatal if left untreated. The number of cases in the US surged by about 80% from 2018 to 2022, with more than 200,000 cases reported in the latter year, according to the CDC. The increase (183%) is even larger for congenital cases, meaning infections passed from pregnant mothers to their newborns. (Read more about that problem here.)