New test gives more precise results on STDs

SFA Health Services has a new instrument that can test more precisely for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

In February, they invested in the Becton Dickinson Probe Tec. It’s an amplified DNA Assay, which is a machine that provides a more accurate reading than the previous ways to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. 

Barbara Chaviers, lab assistant at Health Services, said the new machine is “”more sensitive. The old one was a DNA test, but it didn’t amplify the DNA. This one needs fewer specimens to give you better results.”

Health Services purchased the instrument on a lease purchase plan, which means if they commit to a certain level of supplies to buy each year, the company will install the instrument and the equipment that comes with it for free. 

The cost per year is around $36,000. After three years, the Becton Dickinson Company will sell the equipment to Health Services for $1. 

One of the Health Services technicians went to Baltimore to train on the Becton Dickinson Probe Tec for a week. When the technician came back they installed it at Health Services.

“A trainer came to Health Services for two days to walk us through the process to make sure we knew how to use it,” Chaviers said.

Health Services started using the Becton Dickinson Probe Tec last week and is expecting to have better and more accurate results. They run tests on the old equipment and the Becton Dickinson Probe Tec to validate that the readings are correct.

Becton Dickinson is a medical technology company that serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. They manufacture and sell a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products.