The French health authority has recommended that the government cover a groundbreaking saliva test for endometriosis, a painful condition affecting one in ten French women.

The test, developed by a start-up in Lyon using AI technology, is seen as a big step forward in women’s healthcare.

The French High Authority for Health (HAS), an independent advisory body, has given a positive assessment of the Ziwig Endotest after conducting its own tests. This means the test could soon be covered by French social security, although further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness.

Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects two million women and girls in France, causing severe pelvic pain and fertility problems. Diagnosis often takes years, so early detection is crucial. The Endotest, developed by Ziwig with input from medical experts, promises to detect all types of endometriosis quickly, within days.

The test, which can be done at home, uses advanced sequencing technology and AI to identify biomarkers of endometriosis in saliva samples. Clinical trials have shown it to be 98 percent reliable.

French advocacy groups have long criticized the government for not doing enough to diagnose and treat endometriosis, which affects a significant portion of the female population.