Key Facts:
- Results in 20 minutes: Rapid PCR testing detects chlamydia and gonorrhoea from a single sample.
- Australian-first demonstration: Stigma Health and Roche Diagnostics Australia showcase a new approach to STI testing.
- Beyond the clinic: Potential to offer testing at events, festivals, pop-ups and community venues.
- Faster access to care: On-the-spot results could support earlier treatment and reduce onward transmission.
Stigma Health and Roche Diagnostics Australia showcase a faster future for sexual healthcare in Australia
Melbourne, Australia – Tuesday 15th September 2026 – Waiting days for an STI result while quietly catastrophising every itch, twinge and unread notification could soon become a thing of the past.
Stigma Health is collaborating with Roche Diagnostics Australia in an Australian first this week to demonstrate a new approach to STI testing that can deliver chlamydia and gonorrhoea results in the time of a regular consult.
The system uses rapid PCR technology to detect two of Australia’s most common STIs from a single sample, at the point of care.
It comes at a time where Australia is facing an epidemic. Gonorrhoea diagnoses have doubled over the past decade, while chlamydia remained Australia’s most commonly diagnosed STI, with 101,742 diagnoses in 2024 and around half occurring among people aged 20 to 29. Still, only 16 per cent of Australians aged 16 to 49 report ever having had an STI test, underscoring the need for testing that is faster, easier and available in more places.
Stigma Health Founder and CEO James Sneddon said the technology could change where and how Australians get tested.
“Rapid STI testing means we can take this beyond traditional settings and bring it closer to the people who need it,” Mr Sneddon said.
“Faster answers can mean earlier treatment, fewer people lost to follow-up and less opportunity for an infection to be passed on. That is a genuine game changer for Australia’s STI crisis.”
The groundbreaking testing system has the potential to be wherever they are, including clinics, events, festivals, pop-ups and community settings. Testing and results can happen in the same place, without samples needing to be sent away for processing.
The collaboration will be showcased at the 2026 Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference and Australasian Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference at Pullman Melbourne Albert Park in September. Eligible attendees will be able to experience the rapid testing model first-hand.
“Our mission at Stigma Health has always been to remove the awkwardness, inconvenience and stigma that can stop people getting tested
“If we can offer fast, reliable testing in more of the places people already go, we can make it much easier for them to take control of their sexual health.” Sneddon said.
“Too many people avoid or delay STI testing because it can feel inconvenient, uncomfortable or stigmatising. When reliable results are available in 20 minutes, testing can become part of a single, straightforward visit, giving people clarity sooner and helping clinicians act earlier. Our partnership with Stigma Health is about using innovation to remove barriers and give more Australians the confidence to take control of their sexual health” said Anand Vairavan, Managing Director of Roche Diagnostics Australia.
