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Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 10:03:44 AM   
Highlands


Posts: 21
Joined: 7/19/2008
Status: offline 		I was speaking this week to a friend that has been a prominent high tech exec. He knows someone that is working on applying Gene Chip technology to STD testing.

What does this mean? Well the idea is to have a device that would give you STD screens for all known infectious STD's that is more accurate than today's tests, would give you results in 15 minutes and would cost about $2.00 per use. The guy involved claims this could potentially be available in 5-10 years and would be further along if the Bush administration hadn't hampered testing.

I think this would be a BIG deal-and would have as much impact on the lives as young people as The Pill did in the early 60's. Now, there are some other ramifications. I think a lot of folks would have to face they have been carrying around low level STI's for years and just didn't know it.  I also would expect there would be some folks that would refuse to use this kind of technology. The thing is, they'd gradually find themselves playing with a different pool of folks than they do today.

Overall, I see the technology as a big plus. The downsides that I see:
1) there are probably some STD's out there that we don't yet understand very well-stuff that has effects subtle enough you have to be a statistician to figure it out(i.e. either not everyone is negatively affected or the latency of the negative effects is very long).
2) Some folks will find their socio-sexual status will change VERY dramatically as this gets introduced.

One plus I see here:
I can imagine this would do quite a bit for diseases that aren't really STD's, but can be spread via both intimate and casual contact(i.e. TB).

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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 10:33:28 AM   
candystripper


Posts: 3486
Joined: 11/1/2005
Status: offline 		I think it's great...hope the invention does make it to market.  I'd get one.
 
candystripper

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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 2:08:42 PM   
Highlands


Posts: 21
Joined: 7/19/2008
Status: offline 		Well in terms of what you can do right now:
aim-med.org sells testing services
sxcheck.com sells testing services and online certificates to validate results
checktonight.com also sells online verification of test results

The last two services are important because this gives you a way to share results accurately and securely with folks. People can and do lie about STD test results.
I don't think the verification infrastructure is quite there yet. What I think will be ultimately needed is:

a) a way of storing records over time(a single test results carries less weight than a history of regular testing and consistent negative STD tests results).

b) a way of validating not only freedom from STD's but freedom from drugs(since a lot of folks dating don't want to date folks with active substance issues particularly if they have a history of substance issues themselves).



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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 2:16:32 PM   
Lynnxz


Posts: 4813
Joined: 10/3/2006
From: Atlanta
Status: offline 		I can bet you that by the time they get to market, they will cost about 80$ a pop.

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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 2:30:55 PM   
fluffyswitch


Posts: 1108
Joined: 9/29/2007
From: Buffalo
Status: offline 		i'm torn about the idea. i can see it going one of two ways: the stigma surrounding STIs will go down because this'll mean that that many more people can/will get tested and the truer rates will come out, which also spur more research and development of treatment plans, or the stigma will go up because it'll make it more obvious who has what at any given time.

better tests are always a good thing, but they don't automatically lead to a better society.


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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 6:42:52 PM   
Highlands


Posts: 21
Joined: 7/19/2008
Status: offline 		Well, here's another thing:
a $2/test, we'll see folks in the wealthier countries that test 3-4 times per week-and test all partners.  However, $60/month for tests is NOT something that would be affordable in MANY poorer countries. I can imagine folks in wealthier countries thinking "problems solved". Things might actually get _WORSE_ in poorer countries--especially if sexual mores in things like films got a lot looser-and folks tried to imitate that behavior without testing.

I also wonder how much emphasis there would be on cures once prevention got REALLY good.

quote:

ORIGINAL: fluffyswitch

i'm torn about the idea. i can see it going one of two ways: the stigma surrounding STIs will go down because this'll mean that that many more people can/will get tested and the truer rates will come out, which also spur more research and development of treatment plans, or the stigma will go up because it'll make it more obvious who has what at any given time.

better tests are always a good thing, but they don't automatically lead to a better society.


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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 6:44:24 PM   
Highlands


Posts: 21
Joined: 7/19/2008
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynnxz

I can bet you that by the time they get to market, they will cost about 80$ a pop.


According to my source, these things will be REALLY cheap to manufacture--almost ALL the costs will be "fixed" R&D costs. I can see this going either way.


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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 6:55:44 PM   
ThinkingKitten


Posts: 447
Joined: 6/15/2006
From: Ontari-ari-o
Status: offline 		They've been batting the gene chip idea around for quite a few years. Rapid ID of organisms from blood cultures, urinary tract infections blah blah blah. Specificity, sensitivity, stability, and signal amplification are their biggest challenges. Be interesting to see if anyone can actually get one past the FDA.

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RE: Emerging STD testing technology - 8/8/2008 9:07:07 PM   
Highlands


Posts: 21
Joined: 7/19/2008
Status: offline 		Well the guy that told me about this has a track record of managing some rather large budgets and being involved in some technologies that really did become mass market.

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