Test kits

Medical tests can be quite a hassle in most places. Patients would book an appointment with a clinic, take some time off their workday, endure the hassle of traffic to go to the clinic, then wait in line to get tested. In some cases, the patient can even be put at serious risk of infection from other people if they go to a testing clinic where people have a bigger probability of already carrying infections. Because of these factors, test kits that can be bought online or over the counter and used at home have seen very fast growth. With the threat of future diseases on the horizon, most studies conclude that this demand for home test kits and other DIY test kits won't be going away any time soon.

What is a test kit?

A test kit is a device for monitoring or measuring specific parameters in a substance or environment to see if the said substance or environment still inhibits a normal range of characteristics. Test kits can be used routinely as a part of health and safety regulations and periodic medical check-ups such as drug test kits. They can also be used in situations where a hazard or threat is suspected. For example, a judge may order a DNA test to further test an eyewitness account's validity.

Are at-home test kits essentially the same?

Test kits are made out of different materials and substances depending on what disease or chemical compound they are testing for. They can also vary with regard to the method of collection of the test sample. At-home test kits like the at-home chlamydia test, at-home herpes test, and other at-home STD test kits are devices that work off a urine sample. Some devices like DNA testing kits at home and at-home PCR tests, on the other hand, work off of a swab sample collected from the nose or throat. Other kits, such as the A1C tester, work by pricking a patient's blood and then running its tests from there. One can even test space for molds and allergens.