FAQ
Sexual Health Test
The Visby Medical Sexual Health Test is a single-use (disposable), fully-integrated, automated Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in vitro diagnostic test intended for use in point-of-care or clinical laboratory settings for the rapid detection and differentiation of DNA from Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) in self-collected female vaginal swab specimens collected in Visby Medical Collection Media in a health care setting. The test results are to aid in the diagnosis of symptomatic or asymptomatic infections with CT, NG, and TV.
Yes, the Visby Sexual Health Test is only available in CLIA-waived point-of-care settings with a prescription, such as a clinician’s office.
- There remains a need for diagnosis prior to treatment – treatment for STIs is, currently, usually conducted without a timely diagnostic result present, resulting in over or under treatment, the need for further clinic visits, additional treatments, and elongation of the infection itself.
- Typically, on-site testing takes 24-48 hours and send-out testing takes 6-13 days, forcing women to wait for a diagnosis, clinicians to prescribe blindly, relying mainly on empirical experience without data, causing stress and anxiety for both patients and clinicians.
- Visby Medical delivers innovation that makes PCR fast, accessible, affordable, and simple: Immediacy to test within ~30 minutes and helps to ensure appropriate treatment during a single patient visit, and freedom from instrument commitment and maintenance.
- The clearance by the FDA for the Visby Medical Sexual Health Test validates Visby Medical’s PCR technology as a comparable option for clinicians to test and help diagnose infectious diseases, and provides a tool to enable clinicians to test first and appropriately treat thereafter.
- Women are disproportionately impacted by these infections – they are more likely to experience symptoms, have serious long-term health issues if left untreated, and the infections can cause future fertility and maternity impairment.
- According to the CDC: in 2018, new infections totaled nearly $16 billion in direct lifetime medical costs, and women face a disproportionate burden in terms of severe health outcomes and medical costs2.
- The CDC reported an estimated 68 Million active STIs in 2018, and 26 Million new STIs; which included1
- 6.9 million new in trichomoniasis infections
- 4 million new chlamydia infections
- 1.6 million new gonorrhea infections
- Kreisel, Kristen M. PhD∗; Spicknall, Ian H. PhD∗; Gargano, Julia W. PhD†; Lewis, Felicia M.T. MD∗,‡; Lewis, Rayleen M. MPH†; Markowitz, Lauri E. MD†; Roberts, Henry PhD§; Johnson, Anna Satcher MPH¶; Song, Ruiguang PhD¶; St. Cyr, Sancta B. MD∗; Weston, Emily J. MPH∗; Torrone, Elizabeth A. PhD∗; Weinstock, Hillard S. MD∗ Sexually Transmitted Infections Among US Women and Men: Prevalence and Incidence Estimates, 2018, Sexually Transmitted Diseases: April 2021 – Volume 48 – Issue 4 – p 208-214 doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001355
- CDC estimates 1 in 5 people in the U.S. have a sexually transmitted infection | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC
- CDC Gonorrhea fact sheet: Detailed STD Facts – Gonorrhea (cdc.gov)
- CDC Chlamydia fact sheet: https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia.htm
- CDC Trichomoniasis fact sheet: STD Facts – Trichomoniasis (cdc.gov)
- As a diagnostic company, we understand that chlamydia and gonorrhea are currently two of the most widely spread STIs, making their quick diagnosis and treatment of high importance.
- Furthermore, STIs are frequently asymptomatic, with nearly 50% of gonorrhea cases and 80% of chlamydia cases being asymptomatic in women.
- Currently, there is no reporting requirement for trichomoniasis by public health authorities, meaning that there might be a significant under diagnosis and reported numbers of this STI.
- This is especially concerning as trichomoniasis has been identified to increase risk of contracting HIV two- to three-fold, raising the need for tracking and treating much more important over the last several years.
- Also, approximately 70% of all trichomoniasis cases are asymptomatic.
- A 2019 KFF poll found that a large share of the public is unaware of how common STIs are, with far less than half (36%) aware that STI rates are increasing every year.
Respiratory Health Test
The Visby Respiratory Health Point of Care Test is:
- PCR
- 30-minutes
- instrument-free
- single-use (disposable)
- a molecular diagnostic test
The device utilizes RT-PCR (reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) for the qualitative detection and differentiation of nucleic acid from influenza (Flu) A & B, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
For the person waiting for their result, instrument-free PCR means they have access to lab-quality results in under 30 minutes. The lab comes to the patient instead of the patient sample going to the lab.
For the healthcare professional, instrument-free means everything required to run a lab-grade PCR test is included within the test kit, including all of the necessary reagents and supplies. This translates to less hands-on time, no maintenance, no bottleneck or backup time, and no calibration costs.
Compared to the PCR instruments that exist in hospitals and laboratories today, the Visby Medical device is easier to use and does not require upfront capital, and it fits in the palm of your hand for portable use at the point of care.*
*Requires a CLIA Certificate of Waiver
The concept of accuracy depends upon the comparator test used. The Visby Medical Respiratory Health Test is a true PCR test. The positive percent agreement for Flu A, Flu B and SARS-CoV-2 is 96.2%, 96.9% and 93.2%, respectively. The negative percent agreement for Flu A, Flu B and SARS-CoV-2 is 98.9%, 100% and 98.9%, respectively. To best understand the performance please review our package insert for more detail.
^ Data is a combination of prospective fresh specimens, banked frozen specimens, and surrogate specimens
Store the Visby Medical Respiratory Health Test in a cool and dry environment (36°F-86°F). Do not freeze. In case of refrigeration or other exposure to cold temperatures, ensure that the Visby device is allowed to come to its minimum operating temperature prior to use.
Do not remove the Respiratory Health Test device from the foil pouch until the workspace is prepared and you are ready to run the test. When you are ready to run the test, make sure the Respiratory Health device is at room temperature (55°F-88°F) on a clean, level surface, with the main label facing upward.
After use, the Respiratory Health Test device, pastettes, and Visby Buffer should be disposed of in accordance with local regulations.
Support
Under CLIA, a laboratory is defined as a facility that performs applicable testing on materials derived from the human body for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any disease or impairment of human beings.
Point of care includes settings such as physician offices, urgent care, outpatient clinics, pharmacies, and patient care settings that operate under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver, Certificate of Compliance, or Certificate of Accreditation.
