The Food and Drug Administration has recently given the green light for the first at-home test aimed at screening for cervical cancer, according to Teal Health, the company that developed the test kit.
Traditionally, cervical cancer screening takes place at a doctor’s office during a pelvic exam, which many women find uncomfortable or even painful. Some women skip screenings entirely to avoid the pelvic exam, noted Dr. Emeline Aviki, a gynecologic oncologist at NYU Langone Health.
“It’s not a pleasant procedure, and it’s a simple one to cancel,” Aviki explained, highlighting her involvement in the earlier validation studies of this new test.
Cervical cancer is largely preventable through screenings and the HPV vaccine, yet cases have leveled off in recent years despite significant declines since the 1970s, as per a **2025** report from the American Cancer Society. This year, it’s estimated that 13,360 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, with around 4,320 fatalities.
Still, the number of women undergoing screenings has dropped since the mid-2000s. A **2022 study** revealed that 23% of women were behind on their cervical cancer screening in 2019, an increase from 14% in 2005. The American Cancer Society indicated that nearly half of the women diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S. were not current with their screenings.
“Cervical cancer screening is definitely life-saving,” asserted Dr. Jessica Kiley, who leads general obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.
The innovative test, named the Teal Wand, detects HPV through a vaginal swab, making it less invasive compared to a Pap smear, which requires a gynecologist to use a speculum to gather samples from the cervix.
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted infection and a major contributor to cervical cancer. While most HPV cases resolve on their own, certain strains pose a significant risk.
This isn’t the first home-based HPV test; last year, the FDA approved a similar one that can be administered in a medical setting. However, the Teal Wand allows women to collect samples at home, which could improve access, especially for those deterred by the need to visit a medical facility, according to Dr. George Sawaya, a gynecologist at UCSF Health.
A recent **JAMA Network Open** report indicated that women in rural areas are 25% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 42% more likely to die from it than their urban counterparts, often due to reduced access to screenings.
Women can obtain the test kit after a telehealth appointment with a physician and will then collect the sample at home, though currently, it requires a prescription from one of Teal Health’s virtual providers. The sample will then be sent to a lab for analysis.
If results come back positive, the company’s providers will assist in coordinating follow-up care, although additional testing in a doctor’s office may be necessary.
Experts also express concerns about the cost of the test and whether patients will seek further testing if needed. “There are definitely uncertainties there,” Sawaya admitted.
Teal Health’s CEO, Kara Egan, did not disclose the price of the test but mentioned that since cervical cancer screening is endorsed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, it is expected that insurance will cover it; final confirmation is anticipated in the coming months. The task force had previously recommended in-office self-swabs.
Kiley emphasized the ongoing importance of regular gynecological visits, stating that annual exams encompass more than just cervical cancer screening.
