Planned Parenthood is getting into the app business.
The nonprofit has launched a smart phone app called Planned Parenthood Direct that allows people to order testing and treatment for two of the most common sexually transmitted diseases: chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Users receive a test kit through the mail. They send a urine sample to a lab, and receive the results through the app. If they test positive, they're either sent a prescription, or told to visit a local clinic.
The app is free. The test kit costs $149.
Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Cita Walsh said the app is directed at young people who just can’t find the time to visit a clinic.
“Those are the kinds of people who are very comfortable using an app, ordering it, so they can do the testing when they choose to do so," Walsh said.
Walsh added whether someone orders the app or visits a clinic, Planned Parenthood's goal is to make STD testing a routine part of preventive care.
