FDA approves first at-home test for cervical cancer screening

Teal Health offers alternative to pap smear tests that need to be undertaken at a doctor's office, slated for June rollout

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first at-home test for cervical cancer screening, its maker Teal Health said on Friday, offering an alternative to smear tests that need to be undertaken at a doctor's office.

Pap smear tests have significantly reduced cancer incidence from when they were first introduced 80 years ago. But they can be uncomfortable and inconvenient owing to the requirement for an in-clinic exam.