The Minister of Health announced this Thursday March 7 that this new screening for endometriosis could ultimately be covered by social security.
Endometriosis is a gynecological disease which affects 1.5 million in France according to figures from the Ministry of Health. This disease is still little known and remains very difficult to diagnose. Very painful and heavy periods are often the first symptom of endometriosis. Added to this are “suffering during sexual intercourse, intestinal problems, fatigue, fertility problems”, as specified on the Ministry of Health website.
This Thursday, March 7, the Minister of Health, Catherine Vautrin, declared that a saliva test developed by a Lyon company to detect endometriosis more quickly should be reimbursed from 2025. According to her, the government is in the process of what is necessary so that a full reimbursement of the cost of the test set at 1000 euros can be made by Social Security, from “January 2025”. Ms. Vautrin added that an “experiment on 3,000 women” is taking place until the end of the year and that “the elements are extremely interesting.” The minister specified that for such a measure to be put in place, the High Authority of Health must give its agreement. As Ms. Vautrin indicated, between 10,000 and 20,000 could benefit from this test.
According to France Info, this test is not aimed at all women. This test only concerns women whose results of clinical examinations or medical imaging (i.e. ultrasound or MRI) have not made it possible to determine the origin of the intense pain. This method of screening was designed as a last resort before the laparoscopy stage, which is an invasive examination that can carry risks. The Minister of Health also clarified on France 2 that for this test to be effective, it is necessary to raise awareness among companies about endometriosis. She said: “Obviously, medical confidentiality must be respected but it is important to explain to human resources departments that today there is a pathology which affects women, which generates consequences on their health, serious consequences and which require absences.
This saliva test was developed by a biotech company in Lyon which facilitates screening for endometriosis. As France Info explains, the test, called “Endotest”, makes it possible to identify biomarkers contained in saliva, making it possible to detect this pathology. Associated with high-throughput sequencing with the use of artificial intelligence in a specialized laboratory, the test can deliver a 95% reliable diagnosis in just a few days, as indicated by the media. The latter adds that a study carried out on a thousand women revealed very encouraging results on this test, so much so that the High Authority of Health considered it “promising”.
As its name suggests, endometriosis is a disease that affects the endometrium. As the ministry’s website explains, “a woman who has endometriosis will see certain cells from her endometrium migrate outside of her uterus, via the fallopian tubes, to attach to the genitals, the peritoneum, the devices digestive, urinary, and more rarely pulmonary. On these organs, the cells cause lesions, adhesions and ovarian cysts, and with them very severe pain.