The Ministry of Health announced Thursday the expansion of the Endotest trial, a saliva test developed by the French startup Ziwig, to around twenty new facilities. In total, around one hundred facilities will now be able to accept patients as part of this evaluation phase, supported by Social Security.
The goal? To more quickly diagnose endometriosis, a condition that affects one in ten women and causes debilitating pain and a high risk of infertility. This €800 test, already reimbursed as part of the experiment, is not for everyone: it is reserved for cases where imaging tests have not been able to determine the condition, before a possible surgical procedure.
While the French National Authority for Health (HAS) considers the initial data promising, it is awaiting a cohort of 2 women to deliver its verdict on the test's effectiveness. The government hopes to extend this phase to 500 patients.
Health Minister Catherine Vautrin has shown strong support for French innovation. She will visit the Ziwig industrial site in the Landes region this Friday, convinced that the Endotest could represent "a major advance for women."
