Serena-backed health tech lands first FDA approval for home cervical cancer test

For the first time, the FDA has just approved a device that lets people screen for cervical cancer from home.

Known as the Teal Wand, from the company Teal Health, the prescription device lets patients self-collect samples and mail them to a lab to receive the same testing as would be done at a doctor’s office. 

Teal Health announced a $10 million seed extensio round in January, bringing its total funding amount to $23 million, TechCrunch covered at the time. Investors in the round included Serena Ventures, Chelsea Clinton, Emerson Collective, and Forerunner. The device seeks to tap into the fact that getting screened for cervical cancer, also known as getting a pap smear, can be quite intimidating for many people. 

“Cervical cancer screenings are the most important and often the entry point to a woman’s health relationship,” Kara Egan, co-founder and CEO, told TechCrunch in January. “More than 1 in 4 women are currently behind on this life-saving screening.”

Cervical cancer used to be one of the most common cancers for women, but more screening and prevention have helped decrease this, per the American Cancer Society. The Wand Kit will include the collection device and virtual access to medical providers who will review the lab results with the patient. Kits become available in June, starting in California.