More at-home health tests are now available. How to know what's right for you

BEFORE THE PERSON IS EXPOSED. COVID AND THE FLU SHARE MANY OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS. IN THIS SEASON, THERE IS A NEW AT HOME TEST THAT CAN TELL YOU WHICH ONE YOU HAVE. AVERAGE BETWEEN 10 AND 40 BUCKS. YOU DO NOT NEED A PRESCRIPTION FOR IT. YOU CAN GET THEM AT THE PHARMACY OR ONLINE. THERE IS THE ABILITY TO GET RAPID RESULTS AND DECIDE ON THE COURSE OF TREATMENT. YOU HAVE EARLY DETECTION AND THE ABILITY TO DECIDE ON ANTIVIRALS AND REDUCE THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS. YOU’RE ULTIMATELY REDUCING THE SPREAD OF VIRUS BY GETTING THIS INSIGHT. IF YOU GO LOOKING FOR THIS, EXPERTS SAY THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR A TEST WITH FDA EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION. AND IF YOU DO GET A POSITIVE RESULT, CALL YOUR DOCTOR JUST TO GET THOSE ANTIVIRAL MEDICATIONS GOING. OF COURSE, HERE IN THE NEWSROOM, WE JUST CALLED DOCTOR T, DOCTOR TODD ELLER, AND HE IS THE CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. HE JOINS US NOW. IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU. SO HAS IT BEEN A TOUGH FLU SEASON SO FAR? WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY TOUGH FLU SEASON. REALLY RECORD NUMBERS OF CASES. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THINGS GO DOWN. THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE’VE SEEN A TREND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT STILL IN MASSACHUSETTS IT’S HIGH. SO WHAT HAS MADE IT TOUGH? WELL, I THINK THERE’S BEEN A REMEMBER THAT DOUBLE PEAK OKAY. SO REMEMBER TOWARDS THE END OF DECEMBER IT PEAKED AND IT CAME DOWN. WE THOUGHT WE WERE. AND THEN IT PEAKED AGAIN. AND YOU KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF CASES. HOSPITALS ARE JAMMED TO BEGIN WITH. SO THESE ADDED NUMBERS ARE IT’S TOUGH TO DEAL WITH. SO AS YOU KNOW, VACCINE EXPERTS FOR THE FDA WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET NEXT WEEK. AND THEY WERE GOING TO DISCUSS A NEW FLU SHOT FOR THIS FALL. BUT BUT THAT MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELED AGAIN FOR THIS FALL. SO THAT WE GOT A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THAT. BUT DO YOU KNOW WHY? WELL, I DON’T KNOW WHY EXACTLY. LET ME JUST EXPLAIN. THE FDA HAS AN ADVISORY GROUP. THINK OF IT LIKE THE GODFATHER AND HIS CONSIGLIERE. IT’S A TRUSTED ADVISOR. THESE ARE A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, BOTH PEDIATRIC AND ADULT. THEY’RE EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, INFECTIOUS DISEASE. THEY’RE VIROLOGISTS AND IMMUNOLOGISTS. AND THEY BASICALLY PROVIDE EXPERT GUIDANCE TO THE FDA. AND WHAT’S THE POINT HERE? THE POINT IS THAT AROUND THIS TIME, BECAUSE THERE’S A SIX MONTH INFLUENZA VACCINE PRODUCTION CYCLE, IT TAKES SIX MONTHS. YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH STRAINS TO PUT IN THE VACCINE ABOUT NINE MONTHS BEFORE, WHICH IS ABOUT NOW. SO THIS ADVISORY GROUP WAS WAS DUE TO MEET ON MARCH 11TH TO FIGURE OUT WHICH VACCINE STRAINS THAT’S BEEN CANCELED. I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT BUT BUT IF WE CONTINUE THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION, ARE YOU STILL CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL HAVE A WE SHOULD HAVE A NEW FLU SHOT THIS FALL, RIGHT? I AM CONFIDENT I’LL TELL YOU WHY. BECAUSE THE FDA HAS SAID THAT THEY’RE GOING TO BE CHOOSING THE VACCINES. AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE WHO ARE THE ONES ORGANIZATION, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN FEBRUARY FIGURES OUT WHICH STRAINS AND THE FDA ADVISORY GROUP USUALLY FOLLOWS THE W.H.O. SO THE FDA IS GOING TO DELIVER, AND WE WILL HAVE VACCINES COME SEPTEMBER. SEE, I TOLD YOU THAT’S WHY WE CALL DOCTOR T. HE EXPLAINS IT ALL. MARIA, BACK TO YOU. DID HE GIVE YOU A FLU S

Updated: 11:49 AM CDT Jun 3, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

More at-home health tests are now available. How to know what's right for you

Updated: 11:49 AM CDT Jun 3, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

The doctor is in — the mailbox, that is.You can now do self-administered tests for everything from thyroid function to HIV in the privacy of your own home — and that list continues to grow, as the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first at-home cervical cancer test.While the tests can make it easier for people to access health care and can be helpful for those who have extreme anxiety about sensitive or invasive medical exams, experts warn that most of the tests cannot replace an actual in-person visit.Here's what doctors say you can test for at home, and when you should make the trek to your physician's office.What kinds of at-home tests are available?There are two kinds at "at-home tests."In one type, the patient collects the sample and sends it off to a lab; the new cervical cancer test is like this.The other gives an instant result — think COVID-19 and pregnancy tests.What are the benefits of at-home tests?HIV home-testing kits can improve rates of diagnosing sexually transmitted infections in rural communities and help people who are nervous about going to the doctor to seek a sensitive test, said Dr. Joseph Cherabie, an infectious diseases specialist in St. Louis."You really want to get people to care as quickly as possible, but some people could be very anxious about that results as well," Cherabie said. "And they have very negative reactions."Labs are required to report a positive HIV test, instead of putting the onus on the patient who took the test, Cherabie said, and often, the patient is matched up with HIV support services."If you are part of a sexual and gender minority community, going to a doctor's office can be full of a lot of historical trauma, and you may prefer to just do testing at home without anyone judging you or asking you invasive questions about your sex life," Cherabie said.The new cervical cancer test — which tests for strains of human papillomavirus, or HPV — involves a testing swab that's like a tampon, said Dr. Susan Modesitt, a gynecologic oncologist at Emory University in Atlanta.It is not, Modesitt said, a replacement for a Pap smear, the exam in which a metal speculum is inserted in the vagina to scrape cervix cells. A doctor's visit also involves a pelvic exam, a chance to talk about abnormal bleeding — a sign of endometrial cancer — and other symptoms and issues, like menopause or STIs."There are so many other reasons to see your doctor and get an exam outside of a cervical cancer screening," she said.The at-home cervical cancer test from Teal Health requires a prescription, and the company said that results are not left for the patient to interpret.I live in a rural area — can I take an at-home test?Some at-home tests can replace a trip to the doctor's office. That's especially true in rural areas, where it can be difficult to get a colonoscopy."The colonoscopy requires a pre-op, and you have to drive maybe 70 miles for it," said Dr. Steven Furr, board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians who practices in rural Alabama. "You get anesthesia. It's actually almost like a surgical procedure in many ways."So, for a lot of people, that's pretty arduous. That's where an at-home test can come in handy."But, Furr said, if your test reveals issues, you need to go to your doctor. Plus, patients should always discuss test results with their physician instead of interpreting them on their own, he said.Who shouldn't do at-home tests?If you have symptoms of what you're testing for, go to the doctor.At-home colon cancer tests aren't the right option for people with a history of colon cancer or high-risk conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, said Dr. Zachariah Foda, a gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins. He added that they're also not recommended for people who are having GI symptoms.While there are tests for many things — running anywhere from $15 to $400, depending on what is being evaluated — Furr said it's essential to make sure that your test is FDA-approved so you can better trust the results."Anytime we get people involved in their own health care and help them understand what's going on, I think that's a good thing and it gives us a chance to talk," he said. "Any kind of screening is better than no screening."

The doctor is in — the mailbox, that is.

You can now do self-administered tests for everything from thyroid function to HIV in the privacy of your own home — and that list continues to grow, as the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first at-home cervical cancer test.

While the tests can make it easier for people to access health care and can be helpful for those who have extreme anxiety about sensitive or invasive medical exams, experts warn that most of the tests cannot replace an actual in-person visit.

Here's what doctors say you can test for at home, and when you should make the trek to your physician's office.

What kinds of at-home tests are available?

There are two kinds at "at-home tests."

In one type, the patient collects the sample and sends it off to a lab; the new cervical cancer test is like this.

The other gives an instant result — think COVID-19 and pregnancy tests.

What are the benefits of at-home tests?

HIV home-testing kits can improve rates of diagnosing sexually transmitted infections in rural communities and help people who are nervous about going to the doctor to seek a sensitive test, said Dr. Joseph Cherabie, an infectious diseases specialist in St. Louis.

"You really want to get people to care as quickly as possible, but some people could be very anxious about that results as well," Cherabie said. "And they have very negative reactions."

Labs are required to report a positive HIV test, instead of putting the onus on the patient who took the test, Cherabie said, and often, the patient is matched up with HIV support services.

"If you are part of a sexual and gender minority community, going to a doctor's office can be full of a lot of historical trauma, and you may prefer to just do testing at home without anyone judging you or asking you invasive questions about your sex life," Cherabie said.

The new cervical cancer test — which tests for strains of human papillomavirus, or HPV — involves a testing swab that's like a tampon, said Dr. Susan Modesitt, a gynecologic oncologist at Emory University in Atlanta.

It is not, Modesitt said, a replacement for a Pap smear, the exam in which a metal speculum is inserted in the vagina to scrape cervix cells. A doctor's visit also involves a pelvic exam, a chance to talk about abnormal bleeding — a sign of endometrial cancer — and other symptoms and issues, like menopause or STIs.

"There are so many other reasons to see your doctor and get an exam outside of a cervical cancer screening," she said.

The at-home cervical cancer test from Teal Health requires a prescription, and the company said that results are not left for the patient to interpret.

I live in a rural area — can I take an at-home test?

Some at-home tests can replace a trip to the doctor's office. That's especially true in rural areas, where it can be difficult to get a colonoscopy.

"The colonoscopy requires a pre-op, and you have to drive maybe 70 miles for it," said Dr. Steven Furr, board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians who practices in rural Alabama. "You get anesthesia. It's actually almost like a surgical procedure in many ways.

"So, for a lot of people, that's pretty arduous. That's where an at-home test can come in handy."

But, Furr said, if your test reveals issues, you need to go to your doctor. Plus, patients should always discuss test results with their physician instead of interpreting them on their own, he said.

Who shouldn't do at-home tests?

If you have symptoms of what you're testing for, go to the doctor.

At-home colon cancer tests aren't the right option for people with a history of colon cancer or high-risk conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, said Dr. Zachariah Foda, a gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins. He added that they're also not recommended for people who are having GI symptoms.

While there are tests for many things — running anywhere from $15 to $400, depending on what is being evaluated — Furr said it's essential to make sure that your test is FDA-approved so you can better trust the results.

"Anytime we get people involved in their own health care and help them understand what's going on, I think that's a good thing and it gives us a chance to talk," he said. "Any kind of screening is better than no screening."

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