Home-use tests allow easy access to medical information about your health status. They can be cost-effective, quick, and confidential. Home tests can help:

• Detect possible health conditions when you have no symptoms, so that you can get early treatment and lower your chance of developing later complications (i.e. cholesterol testing).
• Detect specific conditions when there are no signs so that you can take immediate action (i.e. pregnancy testing).
• Monitor conditions to allow frequent changes in treatment (i.e. glucose testing to monitor blood sugar levels in diabetes).

    Remarks:

• Despite the benefits of home testing, you should take precautions when using home-use tests.
• Home-use tests are intended to help you with your health care, but they should not replace periodic visits to your doctor.
• You should talk to your doctor even if you get normal test results, most tests are best evaluated together with your medical history, a physical exam, and other testing.
• Always see your doctor if you are feeling sick, are worried about a possible medical condition, or if the test instructions recommend you to do so.