European Health Startups Deliver At-home Diagnostics

Do-it-yourself diagnostics pioneers are expanding beyond the box.

Testing Demand

From COVID to fertility, vitamin deficiencies, and STDs, the at-home testing industry has proliferated in recent years, supercharged by a pandemic-driven realisation that self-tests can be convenient, fast, and effective.

Despite health clinics reopening their doors, this shift towards DIY diagnostics and preventative health is sticking:

• Globally, 48% of consumers now make proactive health and wellness choices on a regular basis.
• Two in three people are willing to monitor and improve their health using tech-based testing (68%) and a hospital-at-home model (60%).
• 56% of people are interested in AI or computerised doctors that could diagnose health problems 24/7.

Yet… face-to-face consultations are still viewed more positively when it comes to their overall quality (71%), ability to form personal connections (77%), and capacity to resolve health concerns (67%) –– suggesting consumers aren’t ready to completely go it alone yet.

One-stop Shop

To eliminate current roadblocks to adoption, a wave of European companies are creating a bridge between home testing and in-person aftercare, adding everything from health coaching to prescriptive protocols.

• Earlier this June, functional health testing service Regenerus Laboratories merged with health optimisation platform Omnos, creating a full-service offering for post-testing education and clinical support.
• Backed by £13M in recent funding, the UK’s Thriva created a membership service unlocking in-person nutritionist consultations, clinician diagnoses, and test-informed treatment.
• Using genetic testing diagnostics, DnaNudge customers can now scan product barcodes in Holland & Barrett’s flagship London store to receive real-time personalised insights and shopping recommendations.
• In addition to offering over 100 at-home health tests, e-prescriptions, and treatment plans, Dublin-based LetsGetChecked launched a virtual consultation service in 2022 to enable a full scope of care from home.

In the US, the lines between public and private health are also blurring. Cue Health recently expanded its offering to include clinical advice and medication, while Everly Health added virtual care visits in response to customer demand.

Looking ahead: The growth of self-testing has armed consumers with greater diagnostic literacy and comfortability with the use of at-home services. But the contextual management of results remains a blind spot the industry.

Establishing proactive at-home health testing as a launchpad for in-person support and education could become the norm in a market expected to top $81B by 2028.