Last year, US authorities approved the first at-home test capable of detecting three common infections in women — gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis — as well as the first home-based kit for the virus that causes cervical cancer. Experts say these new options for testing and treatment could help reduce infection rates nationwide.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also approved two new drugs for gonorrhea in 2025, marking the first new treatment options for the disease in decades. Gonorrhea has been increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and the new oral medications provide an alternative to the standard injectable treatment. Nuzolvenc, developed through a public-private partnership, comes in granules that dissolve in water, while Bluejepa, produced by GlaxoSmithKline, is a tablet also approved for urinary tract infections.
“Sexual health can be stigmatised, and people can be hesitant about testing,” said Dr. Ina Park, a sexual health specialist at the University of California. “Now we have a lot of options for patients who may be wary of going into a provider’s office.”
The new home-based tests aim to make testing more convenient and faster. Visby Medical launched its three-in-one test for women following FDA approval in March 2025. The urine-based kit includes a vaginal swab and a small electronic device that processes the results and sends them to an online app. A telehealth consultation with a medical provider is included, allowing patients to discuss results and receive prescriptions within hours. The entire process can take as little as six hours, compared with several days under traditional lab-based testing, said Dr. Gary Schoolnik, Visby’s chief medical officer.
In May, the FDA approved Teal Health’s home-based HPV test. The Teal Wand allows women to collect samples at home and ship them to a laboratory for processing. Updated federal guidelines now endorse self-collection for HPV screening for the first time.
Provisional CDC data for 2024 showed a third consecutive year of declining gonorrhea cases, along with decreases in adult chlamydia and infectious syphilis. Experts attribute the trend to a combination of factors, including changes in sexual activity, increased use of preventative antibiotics, and the rise of at-home testing.
Some experts, however, caution that home testing could make national infection tracking more challenging. High costs may also limit access: Visby’s test costs $150 and is not covered by most insurance. Public health funding cuts may further restrict access to testing and treatment for underserved populations.
“I’m optimistic that more testing options and new drugs will help reduce infection rates,” Dr. Park said. “The risk is that cuts to public health could prevent the people who need these tools most from accessing them.”
The new approvals mark a shift toward patient-centered sexual health care, combining convenience, speed, and broader access to treatment options, even as challenges remain in ensuring equitable availability.
