Preventx is a provider of remote/self-sampling sexual health testing kits and routine and emergency contraception based in Meadowhall Business Park, Sheffield. Established in 2008, Preventx has completed over 10 million tests for infectious diseases now processing over 300,000 tests each month. [1]
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| Company type | Private |
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| Industry | |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters | , |
Key people |
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| Products | Self-sampling diagnostic testing kits/services. |
| Brands | |
| Services | |
Number of employees | 100+ |
| Website | www.preventx.com |
Preventx's first service, Freetest.me, launched on 1st November 2008 to support the UK's National Chlamydia Screening Programme. The service enabled local NHS Trusts to offer remote testing to 16-24 year olds (the target age group for the screening programme) as an alternative to accessing self-sampling kits from local stockists such as pharmacies.
The service requires users to place an order online, receive a sampling kit though the mail and return samples to a laboratory for testing. When the service first launched, samples were tested for Chlamydia however this has later been expanded to include tests for many more sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.
Remote testing requires users to collect their own samples which very depending on the tests required. Common samples include a urine sample, vaginal swab and/or a capillary blood sample collected using a fingerprick lancet. While only a small blood sample is required (approx. 400μl), some people can find collecting this difficult.[2]
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom has increased use of remote health services, as people are more used to testing themselves at home. [3] After March 2020 use rose by more than 200% as many sexual health service clinics closed. It was awarded a contract to provide at-home testing kits for 31 London boroughs, coordinated by Sexual Health London, until at least 2023 as in-person testing was restricted to people with symptoms. The firm supplies more than 60% of the local authorities in England and claims to be the world’s biggest publicly-funded STI testing service. [4]
The firm discovered in a survey of 8,676 women that Trichomonas vaginalis was more common in women from ethnic minority backgrounds and they were also more likely to test positive when not displaying symptoms than white women.[5]
The firm polled 500 women in 2021 who attempted to access long-acting contraceptive choices and found that 30% could not get a long-acting reversible contraceptive coil or an implant because of the disruption of sexual health clinics. This had sent them to abortion services, and the morning-after pill.[6]
Synova is a substantial investor in the business and is backing plans to expand services into Spain, Belgium and Germany.[7]
References edit
- ^ "Our in-house laboratory". Retrieved 23 Nov 2023.
- ^ "'London STI clinics have slashed in-person tests and it's putting gay men like me at risk of surge in infections'". My London. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Sheffield sexual health test provider passes four million milestone". Yorkshire Post. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Huge demand for remote sexual health testing kits leads to £1m investment by Sheffield firm". Yorkshire Post. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Trichomonas vaginalis: Ethnic minorities more likely to get 'unknown' STI". BBC. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "One third of women unable to access correct contraception amid Covid". Independent. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Preventx in talks to continue expansion in Europe". Health Investor. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
External links edit
- Official website
- SH.UK (National sexual health e-service delivered in partnership with the NHS)
- SHL.UK (London sexual health e-service delivered in partnership with 31 London boroughs)
- Freetest.me