A new review, released last week and co-authored by the MHRA, has concluded that diagnostic testing of the vaginal microbiome could transform women’s health.
These tests could provide more accurate and earlier diagnoses of multiple conditions such as bacterial vaginosis, STIs, endometriosis, and gynaecological cancers.
Many can be employed at the point-of-care or be self-administered, making them faster, more convenient and less invasive for women.
To unlock the life-saving potential of vaginal microbiome diagnostics, the paper’s authors call for:
- More investment in women’s health research
- Standardised microbiome testing
- Greater inclusion of women in clinical trials
- Integration of microbiome diagnostics into routine care
BIVDA welcomes progress that drives earlier diagnoses, saves lives, and breaks down the barriers women still face in healthcare. With women’s symptoms too often dismissed and their health outcomes lagging behind men’s, innovations that close this gap are urgently needed and should be embraced.
You can find out more here.
