Pee On Your Phone STD Test 208
Shakrai writes "British health officials are hard at work on a new app that will allow users to pee into their cell phones and find out within minutes if they have an STD. From the article: 'Doctors and technology experts are developing small devices, similar to pregnancy testing kits, that will tell someone quickly and privately if they have caught an infection through sexual contact. People who suspect they have been infected will be able to put urine or saliva on to a computer chip about the size of a USB chip, plug it into their phone or computer and receive a diagnosis within minutes, telling them which, if any, sexually transmitted infection (STI) they have. Seven funders, including the Medical Research Council, have put £4m into developing the technology via a forum called the UK Clinical Research Collaboration.'"
Re:STD? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:really? (Score:5, Interesting)
Bad headline
Blame the editors, I used a different headline when I submitted the article.
Re:If they are adult enough to use one of these ki (Score:4, Interesting)
"Many are too embarrassed to get tested."
Not "many are too embarrassed to get treated." And in fact, having a "diagnosis" of sorts to share with a doctor as a framework for the discussion will probably help them deal with the embarrassment.
Many people - at widely varying ages - are nervous about discussing things with their doctor, and most of it stems from fear of the unknown. "I have this burning feeling when I pee, but it's probably just irritation, and will go away, no need to bother the doctor about it."
Having a test that's convenient and private means that the people who don't want to bother the doctor with something that's "probably no big deal" can test themselves, and seek treatment if the test is positive; It can also be used by people who are normally "safe" but who experience a broken condom, or a regrettable lapse of judgement.
Arguing that there's no need, market, or benefit to this is stupid. If you had to go to the doctor every time you needed your blood pressure, blood sugar, or other things tested... how many people do you think would be walking around as hypertensive diabetics with advanced atherosclerosis until they keeled over from a massive coronary at age 55? I'm betting it'd be a lot higher if the tools for "home testing" weren't available.
Re:really? (Score:4, Interesting)
I have an alternate application:
"You're hot."
"Thanks you too.. wanna go back to my room?"
"Sure! But before we do the wild thang, would you mind peeing on my phone? I want to make sure you don't got AIDS."
(slap)
"I'll take that as a 'yes' then...... next!"