The Minister of Health, Catherine Vautrin, announced on Monday, February 10 that a salivary test used for the diagnosis of endometriosis, even in the experimental stage, would be reimbursed as of Tuesday, February 11 for certain patients.
“It is a cost of 800 euros per woman,” which will be covered by health insurance, said France Minister 2.
The reimbursement of this “endotest” marks a new step in the fight against endometriosis, which causes intense pain and can cause infertility. In France, between 1.5 and 2.5 million women of prosecuted age are affected by this gynecological disease, one in 10.
What is an “endotest”?
“Endotest” is a test that detects endometriosis by saliva thanks to the analysis and sequencing of the RNA, designed by the Lyon Biotech Ziwig.
“This test has the shape of a self -pre -pre -pre -pre -pre -home kit at home by the interested woman who then sends it to a laboratory through an enclosure to the box,” explains the health insurance site.
The diagnosis made in the laboratory “is based on the high speed sequencing of micro-arns present in saliva and the use of artificial intelligence to process the large volume of data thus generated,” explains Ziwig in its place.
· What changes?
Until now, only medical images (ultrasound, MRI) allowed to detect endometriosis. But the diagnosis is sometimes complex and long. Endotest gives patients an answer in “only a few days,” according to Ziwig.
“The salivary tests @ziwigbiotech are preparing to change the lives of these women, ending the diagnostic assembly that today is seven years on average,” said the Minister of Health. Catherine Vautrin.
Endotest shows “reliability close to 100%,” according to Ziwig, with a sensitivity (probability of being positive if he is sick) of 97.4%and a specificity (probability of being proven negative if we are not sick) of 93.5%.
Endotest studies have been considered promising enough for high health authority (HA) to justify a large -scale experiment. In October, he has given green light to the management of these tests, through a derogatory device.
Who is this test for?
According to a decree of the Minister of Health of February 6 and published on Tuesday in Official Gazette, The reimbursement of the test refers to “patients with normal or equivocal images but with very evocative and delayed symptoms” of endometriosis.
“The total number of patients who will probably benefit from care (…) is set at 25,000,” the text specifies.
According to the Ministry of Health, 2,500 patients will be included in a clinical study whose results (drop in the number of diagnostic surgeries, impact on general management) will condition any reimbursement generalization.
“As soon as we have the results related to these patients, the high health authority will give a final opinion that will highlight the merits of the test and, behind, care for all women in our country,” said Catherine Vautrin in France 2 this Monday.
Endomind, the French Association of Actions against Endometriosis, calls in a press release the “generalization of the evidence within the framework of the ordinary law as quickly as possible so that this global innovation is available for all people who suffer from pain Chronic chronicles “”.
“As with any disease, the diagnosis is the first step for proper management and establishing a word about its suffering is already a relief for patients,” insists the association.
Source: BFM TV
