NHS to offer rapid endometriosis tests after decade-long waits branded ‘gamechanger’

Women in England and Wales have waited an average of nine years and four months for an endometriosis diagnosis. That could soon drop to 45 minutes. Two rapid tests have been approved for use on the NHS, in a move hailed as a “gamechanger” for millions of women. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has given the green light to Endotest and EndoSure, which will be made available for three years while further evidence is collected. One in 10 women of reproductive age are affected by the condition, where tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Symptoms include painful periods, painful bowel movements, pain when urinating and pain during or after sex. Current tests include ultrasound scans, MRI or a laparoscopy – but getting a diagnosis can take years. Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, Nice’s healthtech programme director, said: “A diagnosis of endometriosis can for some women take the best part of a decade, with the UK average standing at nine years and four months, and rising to 11 years for those from ethnically diverse communities.” Delays meant chronic pain, affecting daily life, relationships and work, she said. “These technologies have the potential to change that by giving primary care professionals better non-invasive tools to identify endometriosis earlier, allowing earlier and better treatment.” With Endotest, women give a saliva sample, which is sent off to a lab to check for tiny biological markers called microRNAs. EndoSure can detect the condition by measuring electrical signals in the gut using sensor pads on the abdomen. One of the tests provides results in just 45 minutes. Women eventually diagnosed have said diagnostic delays contribute to increased suffering, prolonged ill health and disease progression that can be more challenging to treat. The approval marks a potential shift for the millions waiting years for answers.