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Think you might have an STD? There's an app for that

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 09 Nov 2010 7:46 User comments (15)

Think you might have an STD? There's an app for that If you think you may have an STD (sexually-transmitted disease) but are too embarrassed to see a doctor about it, you may be in luck soon.
British health officials are currently developing a mobile phone app that will allow users to get diagnosed within minutes, and without needing to head to a clinic or a doctor's office.

The impressive app would work as follows (via Guardian): "A user would put urine or saliva on a computer chip about the size of a USB chip and then plug it into their phone or computer. And voila, a diagnosis will appear right before their eyes."

There have been over $6 million dollars invested into the project already by the U.K. Clinical Research Collaboration.

Lead researcher Dr. Tariq Sadiq, consultant physician in sexual health and HIV at St. George's, University of London says: "Your mobile phone can be your mobile doctor. We need to tackle the rising epidemic of STIs, which have been going up and up and up. Britain is one of the worst [countries] in western Europe for teenage pregnancy and STIs."



If the app confirms you have an STD, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or herpes, the app "tells you where to go next to get treatment."

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15 user comments

19.11.2010 20:36

Finally healthcare professions are at risk like everything else!

29.11.2010 20:50

What is the reliability for the app, and will the app maker be responsible for misdiagnosis, i see the law suits starting already.

39.11.2010 21:43

they better make it sure it works right, you can't make an important health app that stupid people mgiht depend on and have it not work

49.11.2010 22:48

i just used this app turns out i got a bad case of the Mountaineria Dewmydia.

59.11.2010 23:58

This could be really great if they added HIV to the list...safe sex without condoms!

610.11.2010 00:08

hahahahahaha test someone before you get into bed with them then forget about the rubbers I like your style killerbug

710.11.2010 01:10

Originally posted by KillerBug:
This could be really great if they added HIV to the list...safe sex without condoms!
HIV would seem next to impossible to test for with this kind of app, mainly because it mutates so quickly from person to person.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 10 Nov 2010 @ 1:11

810.11.2010 03:51

Originally posted by stuntman_:
hahahahahaha test someone before you get into bed with them then forget about the rubbers I like your style killerbug
To be fair, I would test myself as well so she would not be afraid to swallow.

910.11.2010 06:39

I didn't know that USB was a "chip", LMFAO.

1010.11.2010 20:27

Originally posted by KillerBug:
This could be really great if they added HIV to the list...safe sex without condoms!
Condoms are as much about birth control as they are about preventing someone getting an STI.

1111.11.2010 10:43

Yeah...I'd expect the chips to be single use and very expensive...STDs...just sad...lol

1211.11.2010 12:40

Originally posted by dEwMe:
Yeah...I'd expect the chips to be single use and very expensive...STDs...just sad...lol

if they cost less than actual STD tests then it's fine, isn't it?

1311.11.2010 13:19

Yeah the cost of that chip will have to include the insurance litigations for the STDs that still are transmitted. I can just hear the testes-mony in court.

"Look, my phone told me to take this little jizzmo and pee on it and then screw it back into the phone. She did, and on my hands too, so I eased it into the phone hole; it hummed a minute, said safe, then my phone shorted out. Now I'm out the price of a phone and I can't pee anymore."

1416.11.2010 02:13

Originally posted by KillerBug:
This could be really great if they added HIV to the list...safe sex without condoms!
I hate to be serious... but you're forgetting about the long incubation period.

1516.11.2010 02:21

Originally posted by Jemborg:
Originally posted by KillerBug:
This could be really great if they added HIV to the list...safe sex without condoms!
I hate to be serious... but you're forgetting about the long incubation period.
Good point, some information in found says 6 to 9 months where people can transmit the virus but not detectable.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 16 Nov 2010 @ 2:30

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