Overview
- NICE published draft early‑use guidance on Tuesday recommending Endotest and EndoSure be offered in NHS primary care for a three‑year evidence‑collection period to speed diagnosis and inform a final decision.
- Endotest analyses a saliva sample for microRNA markers and sends lab results to the GP, while EndoSure records gut electrical signals with abdominal sensor pads during a 45‑minute test to indicate likely endometriosis.
- Both tests are described as adjuncts to clinical assessment rather than definitive diagnostics and are intended for patients whose symptoms suggest endometriosis despite a normal exam or negative or inconclusive imaging.
- Separately, University of Edinburgh researchers reported a blood hormone fingerprint featuring raised 11‑ketotestosterone that identified more than 95% of cases in a 159‑patient study but said larger, more diverse trials and industry partners are needed to create a commercial blood test.
- Wider use will depend on further validation, GP education, lab capacity for microRNA analysis, and monitoring of equity impacts as the NHS weighs whether earlier non‑invasive testing can cut invasive laparoscopy rates and shorten long diagnostic delays.