And they are using these tests to do just that. The parade of home diagnostic products began in the early 1980s, with pregnancy tests leading the way. In the late 1990s, the parade has become a stampede. Self-test kits are now available to diagnose health problems ranging from HIV and illicit drug use to urinary tract infections and bladder and colon cancer. To improve accessibility, many pharmacists are relocating home tests from behind the counter to more visible locations.
Parents now can buy otoscopes to check their children for ear infections.
A Utah company offers a home genetics testing kit that can be used to determine a child's paternity. And one home test kit allows people to monitor the level of free-radical activity in their bodies so they can determine whether they need to take additional antioxidant supplements. Manufacturers are developing noninvasive tests for kits that now require pricking the finger for a blood sample. Those products are expected to reach the market in about two years. Also in the pipeline are diagnostic kits for hepatitis C, strep throat, osteoporosis and, for epileptics, a test to predict seizures.