Requiring only a vaginal swab, the Visby Medical Sexual Health Click Test can deliver test results for STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis in under 30 minutes.
As college students leave their childhood homes and become independent for the first time in their lives, they also get to start making their own healthcare decisions.
“They’re not just going with their parents to the pediatrician anymore,” said Dr. Ina Park, a professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine.
At the same time, college students represent one of the most sexually active populations.
“This is a time when a lot of people are initiating sexual activity, when people are changing partners and sort of exploring their sexuality,” Dr. Park said.
That’s why it’s critical for college students to take charge of their sexual health — not only to keep themselves healthy today, but for their future reproductive health as well, and to limit the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the community because many STIs have no obvious signs or symptoms.
“A healthy sexual life is something we hope everybody can enjoy,” said Dr. Gary Schoolnik, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine who has over 40 years of experience working with infectious disease. “And it’s important that one be thoughtful and responsible when enjoying a healthy sexual life.
Some of these responsible measures include using condoms, limiting the number of sexual partners you have, getting tested for STIs on a regular basis, and getting tested between partners. And thanks to a new FDA-cleared test, getting tested and treated for STIs is faster and easier than ever.
Fast, reliable results
Using a sample collected from a vaginal swab, the Visby Medical Sexual Health Click Test [a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test] can detect chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis with over 97 percent accuracy. Patients can receive instructions to collect their own samples, and the test takes little to no training for medical professionals to operate.
The test returns results in less than 30 minutes, whereas other types can take several days. This allows patients to receive testing, diagnosis, and treatment all in one visit.
“That reduces the risk of someone falling through the cracks and not getting their infection treated before they can spread it to somebody else,” Dr. Park said.
While doctors in the past risked over- or under-treating STIs while waiting for official results, or failing to track down patients for follow-up, the Visby Medical Sexual Health test changes the game. They can now provide evidence-based education and treatment for their patients the first time they see them.
“Physicians internally feel uncomfortable when they’re just guessing, and especially when they’re using antibiotics based on that guess,” said Dr. Schoolnik, who is also Visby’s chief medical officer. “Having a result and knowing what they’re treating really boosts physician satisfaction. And of course, patients want to know what they really have, and be treated based on an accurate diagnosis and not a guess.”
Healthier communities
If you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea (using the Visby test or otherwise), your healthcare provider can give you a treatment plan for both yourself andany sexual partners you have thanks to Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT).
EPT is available in all 50 states, and it means your sexual partners don’t need to see a doctor to receive treatment if you have been diagnosed with an STI — your physician can prescribe medication for you to give to them. If you test positive using a Visby test, that expedited treatment can now be offered with confidence on the day you are diagnosed by your healthcare provider.
“The sooner you get the patient and their partner treated, the less likely they are to spread it to anybody else in the community,” Dr. Park said.
STIs are not a rare occurrence. In fact, half of sexually active people will get one by age 25. Fortunately, nearly all STIs are curable, or at least manageable. The best way to limit their spread, and the long-term harm they can cause, is by being proactive about your sexual health, and the Visby Medical Sexual Health Click Test is a key tool for doing just that.
Ask your doctor about the Visby sexual health test and learn more by visiting visbymedical.com/sexual-health-test.