While the Pap smear helps diagnose more than 13,000 cases of cervical cancer annually in the United States, nearly a quarter of American women are lagging behind in their screening regimen due to various factors, including discomfort, pain, invasiveness or even traumatic experiences associated with the procedure. Recently, Teal Health, Inc. received approval from the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration for an alternative cervical cancer screening device that can be used at home.

The Teal Wand enables individuals to self-collect vaginal samples using a swab, which is subsequently mailed to a laboratory for testing purposes, where it is analyzed to detect the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes nearly all cervical cancers. A clinical study demonstrated that the Teal Wand was as effective as a Pap smear in detecting early-stage cervical precancers. Among the study participants, 94 percent preferred the self-collection method over the Pap smear, and 86 percent expressed a willingness to maintain regular screening if provided with this alternative option.