09 May FDA approves first cervical cancer screening device that can be used at home, company says

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN

To get screened for cervical cancer, patients in the United States may no longer need to put their feet in those awkward stirrups, brace for the uncomfortable speculum or even take the time off from work for an in-person doctor’s appointment.

Soon, they will have the option to collect their own vaginal samples for screening from home – instead of a health care provider doing it for them.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first at-home self-collection device for cervical cancer screening in the United States, called the Teal Wand, according to the women’s health company Teal Health. Last year, the FDA gave the company’s Teal Wand “breakthrough device” status, allowing the agency to review it on a faster timeline. Read more…