Most people are aware of pregnancy tests available in high-street pharmacists, and many are aware of the blood glucose monitors used by people with diabetes to help manage their therapy.
The IVD Industry is developing many more tests in designs specifically for home use, such as those used to monitor coagulation therapy, or to screen for various forms of cancer. Products to help pinpoint a woman's most fertile stage in her menstrual cycle, to screen for the biochemical markers associated with osteoporosis, and simple tests for urinary tract infection are amongst those arriving on the pharmacists' shelves.
Although all self-testing products have extensive information in the packaging explaining their use, the pharmacist will also be willing to discuss any questions about them that the consumer might have. BIVDA advises anyone with concerns about their health to speak to their GP, self-test results can be useful to aid this discussion.