FDA Authorizes First At-Home Test for Syphilis as Cases Spike

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday authorized NOWDiagnostic to market the first at-home, over-the-counter test for syphilis amid a rising trend of cases in the United States. This newly-approved test is designed to detect syphilis antibodies in human blood and will provide results within 15 minutes, according to the regulator. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that can cause serious health problems if left untreated, including damage to the heart and brain, causing blindness, deafness, and paralysis. The infection can also be transmitted during pregnancy, potentially leading to miscarriage, infant death, and lifelong medical issues. People infected with syphilis often do not notice any symptoms....