France's endometriosis test under scrutiny

When France launched its strategy to fight endometriosis in 2022, it widely promoted a simple saliva test that was promised to revolutionise diagnosis of the little-understood disease, which causes debilitating pain to women across the world.

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However, after years of financial support from the government, significant questions remain about the effectiveness of the Endotest developed by French startup Ziwig, several researchers said.

There is no doubt a better test for endometriosis would represent a major medical breakthrough. The chronic disease, in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, affects at least one in 10 women of reproductive age worldwide, significantly raising their risk of infertility.

Yet women often endure a long and difficult journey to diagnose endometriosis, which can currently only be confirmed by an invasive surgical procedure requiring general anaesthesia.