Papcup has introduced a non-invasive, at-home device designed to screen for cancer-causing HPV strains using regular menstrual blood. This device, developed with support from the Venture Builder Incubator (VBI) at the University of Edinburgh, aims to provide an alternative to traditional smear tests, which many women find uncomfortable and inconvenient.
The device offers a highly accurate, non-invasive method for testing, allowing women to perform the test themselves in the privacy of their own homes. Results are available within 15 minutes, and users can choose to share these results with their healthcare provider.
NHS data shows that around a third of women in the UK skip their annual smear tests due to concerns such as pain, embarrassment, and body consciousness. Papcup addresses this issue by offering a pain-free, non-invasive option for cervical health monitoring, which can be particularly beneficial for younger women who are not invited for regular smear tests until the age of 25.
Papcup tests for high-risk HPV strains in menstrual blood and meets the standards required by the NHS and WHO. The device can also be used with a shallow vaginal swab for those not menstruating. Key features include the elimination of the need for uncomfortable medical tools, allowing for a pain-free testing experience, and the convenience of at-home testing, enabling users to monitor their health over time without frequent clinic visits.
Papcup was founded by Sânziana Foia, a doctoral student in bioengineering at Imperial College London.
