Home Access Health Corp (HAHC), Hoffman Estates, Ill, has announced the availability of the Home Access A1c test for sale and use directly by consumers, the latest addition to the company’s suite of FDA-cleared and approved self-testing services that allow consumers to manage their health from home. The test is available without a prescription.
The Home Access Health A1c test.
Hemoglobin A1c tests measure a person’s average blood sugar (glucose) over the previous 2 to 3 months, enabling people with diabetes to monitor how well they are managing their blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends testing for A1c at least twice a year, or more frequently, as diabetic individuals work to achieve treatment goals. According to the association, diabetes is diagnosed when an individual’s A1c level is 6.5% or higher—but early intervention can prevent the onset of the disease.
“This is an important development for the approximately 30 million Americans who have diabetes,” says David Klonoff, MD, medical director of the diabetes research institute at Mills Peninsula Health Services, San Mateo, Calif. “Individuals with diabetes need effective tools for the careful management and monitoring of blood sugar levels, so essential for avoiding complications from diabetes. The Home Access A1c test is a highly convenient option for monitoring A1c and is the only mail-in lab test for A1c to have achieved test method certification from the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program.”
The Home Access A1c test is simple and easy to use. The test uses self-collected blood from a fingertip mailed to the testing lab, and shows accuracy consistent with tests that use blood from a vein. In clinical studies, 100% of participants were able to collect a specimen of sufficient quality for testing and results reporting. The lab report includes actionable data that should be shared with the individual’s healthcare professionals to identify treatment modifications.
Mary Vogt, Home Access Health Corp.
“This is a lab test with all the quality associated with the rigorous standards established by FDA and the College of American Pathologists,” says Mary Vogt, president of HAHC. “This service uniquely combines lab accuracy with ease of use, so that diabetic individuals can more effectively monitor their average blood sugar in the privacy and convenience of home. As important, this test can provide health information to individuals who may be at risk for diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 86 million Americans have prediabetes, and 9 out of 10 don’t know they have it.”
Since 1996, HAHC has been providing FDA-approved and doctor recommended laboratory test services that use self-collected laboratory specimens mailed to the testing lab for resulting and reporting. The company screens, monitors and diagnoses a variety of disease states, and serves a broad client base including consumers, health plans, wellness companies, and healthcare systems.
The Home Access A1c test is currently available through HAHC, and will be available through Drugstore.com beginning in January 2016. The introductory retail price of $35 includes the complete service: a fingerstick blood sample collection kit, prepaid mailing services to send the sample to the testing lab, lab processing, and a lab report mailed to the customer. For further information, visit Home Access Health Corp.
