Tesco has launched at-home testing kits for shoppers to test for various health problems, including bowel cancer, menopause and thyroid issues, in more than 500 UK stores today.
The test kits will be available in stores and online from today (Monday 27 February), and will cost between £8 and £12 each. The deal, with with provider Newfoundland, marks the first time self-diagnostic test kits for widespread health conditions will be available with any major UK retailer.
It means shoppers can buy tests to check for iron and vitamin D deficiencies, general kidney health, thyroid function, bowel health and cancer, menopause and male fertility.
Newfoundland, which launched during the pandemic to distribute Covid lateral flow tests, will also be supplying the UK’s largest retailer with tests for Covid and flu, as well as a wider range of health kits.
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“We want to provide people with the opportunity to take their health into their own hands at an affordable price,” said Newfoundland co-founder Frederick Manduca.
“With long wait times for doctors and hospital appointments and the very high price point of diagnostic lab tests, we’re offering rapid at home tests that arm people with vital knowledge that can alleviate pressure both on the NHS and patients themselves.”
Chair of the Royal College of GPs, Professor Kamila Hawthorne said that making self-testing products available over the counter without prescription, “comes with pros and cons”.
“They can, of course, provide some peace of mind for patients – and for relatively minor conditions, with clear and easy to access treatment options, they may avoid the patient having to seek medical assistance.
“However, without the appropriate aftercare services, patients may not know how to properly interpret results, or safely and appropriately act on them. In the case of more serious conditions, such as cancer, people may not have the appropriate support in place to deal with what could be very distressing news.
She added: “We know from experience, many patients make appointments with their GP for help analysing the results of at-home tests and to discuss the implications of them, in many cases not really needing medical assistance.
“This also takes up valuable GP time when we and our teams are working under considerable pressure, and patients who really need our care and services are struggling to access them.”
The home health test rollout comes as Tesco introduces a new ‘lift and learn’ product display from skincare brand Aveeno at several of its stores across the UK.
