The saliva test can tell if a woman has the disease”>Endotest Revelation: A Game Changer in Endometriosis Diagnosis
Well, well, well! Hold on to your spatulas, folks, because we finally have some remarkable news in the healthcare world! The High Authority for Health, or HAS for those in the know, has decided to give us all a reason to smile—by giving the thumbs up to the Endotest saliva test as a new tool for diagnosing endometriosis. Yes, that’s right! Now, instead of invasive procedures that feel more like a bad date with a dentist, we get to spit in a tube and call it a day!
A Saliva Test? Are You Serious?
Now, if you’ve ever faced the grueling wait that comes after experiencing endometriosis symptoms, you’ll understand the significance of this announcement. For too long, women in France have endured an average of seven years of pain and anxiety—akin to waiting for a sequel to your favorite movie that just never seems to come. The Endotest could be the superhero in a lab coat we didn’t know we needed!
The HAS bravely announced that the Endotest “could then spare patients a laparoscopy”—a fancy term for a procedure that feels like you’re auditioning for a horror film, complete with the drama of (drumroll, please) unnecessary risks! So, let’s raise our glasses—of, uh, saline solution?—to that advancement.
But, as with any good story, there’s a catch. The HAS noted that while it’s an encouraging step forward, the clinical data presented is “however insufficient to conclude in particular on a favorable impact on patient care.” So, they’re kind of like that skeptical friend who always needs more evidence before they get on board the hype train. But good things take time—and they’ll be monitoring the Endotest’s performance, so watch this space!
100% Coverage: Yes, Please!
Now, let’s talk money. Health insurance is stepping up to the plate to offer some serious coverage here. Under the proposed Long-Term Illness (ALD) initiative, women with endometriosis can potentially receive 100% coverage of healthcare costs related to this condition. Can we get a collective sigh of relief? One might even joke that this makes the Endotest feel like a rich uncle at a family reunion, swooping in to cover all the embarrassing medical bills!
- Hospitalization? Covered.
- Technical procedures? Covered.
- Biological acts? Covered.
- Frequent paramedical care? Covered.
So, yes, you might still find yourself at the doctor’s office more than you’d prefer, but at least you won’t have to empty your savings to cover it—unless you count that coffee you had to buy while waiting!
Alternatives: Are They Worth it?
But wait—there’s more drama in this healthcare soap opera! When it comes to alternative medicines, the ALD isn’t in the business of handing out cash. That means no reimbursements for things like acupuncture or whatever new-age remedy your well-meaning aunt suggests. Yet HAS has recognized some alternatives can improve the quality of life for patients. It’s like they said, “Sure, yoga sounds great, but you’re still going to pay for that fancy mat!”
A study from Héroïc Santé reveals that 87% of women surveyed incur an out-of-pocket cost of about €149.61 every month. Combine that with an extra €40.70 for those who dabble in alternative therapies, and it seems like your wallet is really taking the hit here! It’s like suddenly realizing that your Netflix subscription doesn’t cover every single series you want to binge-watch.
Conclusion: Hope on the Horizon
So, there you have it! With the new Endotest test potentially paving the way for simpler diagnostics and a good dose of financial support, there’s a smidgen of hope for women battling endometriosis. As they say, it’s always darkest before the dawn. Or in our case, it’s always the most uncomfortable before you get a finals week lecture and finally get the help you need.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this test is indeed the breakthrough it promises to be, and no one will have to feel like they’re in a medical horror story anymore. Cheers to progress, folks!
This is a new decisive advance in the treatment of endometriosis. The High Authority for Health (HAS), in charge of evaluating medical devices with a view to their possible reimbursement by Social Security, gave the green light on Friday October 18 “to the coverage of the Endotest saliva test”, a new tool capable of more easily diagnosing endometriosis.
Endotest: towards simpler diagnosis and 100% reimbursement
As a reminder, this chronic gynecological disease causes intense pain which can cause fatigue, depression and anxiety for the women who suffer from it, almost 2 million in France. Despite the large number of patients, this pathology is still very little known and the diagnosis of the disease still remains complex. This takes on average 7 years from the appearance of the first symptoms, with examinations that are sometimes painful and intrusive. The Endotest “could then spare patients a laparoscopy, an invasive examination which presents risks and is sometimes unnecessary”estimates the HAS in a communiqué.
An encouraging step forward, but which still needs to be proven, the clinical data presented being “however insufficient to conclude in particular on a favorable impact on patient care”concludes the authority. It therefore invites Endotest to submit an application for an innovation package in order to “thus allowing a population of patients to access it as quickly as possible. » As part of the innovation package, the saliva test could be covered in a manner “derogatory”. The Ministry of Health could thus follow the advice of the HAS and give in the coming months the possibility to women over 18, strongly suspected of having endometriosis, to benefit from the Endotest free of charge.
How is endometriosis covered by Health Insurance?
After the diagnosis, comes the time for treatment and monitoring the evolution of the condition. If there is no actual treatment for endometriosis, some health professionals prescribe surgical, drug or hormonal treatments to relieve the symptoms. Medical follow-up which, due to the number of examinations and treatments, can prove costly. In this context, Health Insurance offers access to 100% coverage. “for forms of endometriosis impacting the quality of life and requiring, during their evolution, numerous examinations and care”we indicate on the site Ameli.fr.
To do this, it allows the patients concerned to benefit from a Long-Term Illness (ALD) 31 course. Concretely, this concerns cases of illness lasting more than 6 months, not included in the common ALD course, and whose treatment perhaps particularly expensive for female patients. To benefit from it, women with endometriosis must meet two of these four criteria, in addition to receiving mandatory drug treatment:
- Have an upcoming hospitalization;
- Have repeated technical medical procedures;
- Have repeated biological acts;
- Have frequent and regular paramedical care.
The ALD 31 then allows you not to have to advance medical costs, to benefit from 100% reimbursement of healthcare costs, payment of travel costs, or the elimination of waiting days for work stoppages linked to endometriosis.
What about alternative medicines to relieve the symptoms of endometriosis?
In principle, ALD only reimburses medical procedures and care covered by Health Insurance. So no more excess fees during consultations with certain specialists as well as alternative medicines such as osteopathy, acupuncture or homeopathy. Yet the HAS had recognized the usefulness of some of these practices as well as yoga as therapies that could improve the quality of life of patients “in addition to the medical treatment of endometriosis”.
According to a study of 2022 from Héroïc Santé, 87% of affected women surveyed have an out-of-pocket cost of around €149.61 per month. A large sum to which is added a “additional cost estimated at €40.70” for the 52% of women choosing a complementary alternative approach.
