Q: Can I purchase the test across US?
A: Except New York and New Jersey our tests are available in all 48 states. State regulations in NY, NJ do not allow us to ship the tests to their residents.
Q: What does the kit contain and how do I use it?
A: The kit contains stool collection supplies, instructions on how to collect the samples, and a form requesting basic information including date and time of collection. The directions are straight forward and easy to follow.
Q: How long does it take to receive the results?
A: You will receive the kit within 3-5 business days with a prepaid return envelope. After you ship the sample and it is received by our lab, you get the results within 5-7 business days.
Q: What do I expect from the report?
A: The report with your test results will be easy to understand and will have all the necessary details. It will mark whether you are negative or positive for the bacteria and its levels. It will also show any specific virulence factors detected in your sample. A short summary explaining the results will be included at the end.
Q: Can I use my insurance to pay for the test?
A: You can use HSA (or FSA/MSA/HRA) accounts to pay for the tests since these are prescription tests (for further confirmation, please check theIRS publication#969). However, please ensure you are not going outside your specified max and min deductible limits. We do not have the capability to process the insurance claim. Since insurance plans vary for individuals we can not guarantee your HSA payment will always be processed by your plan. We suggest talking to your insurance provider if you have any questions.
Q: How reliable are my tests and how do I ensure my results are accurate?
A: Testing for h. pylori is carried out at our world-class CLIA-certified labs. The H pylori stool test quantifies bacteria using qPCR. This is a leap forward from older methodologies that report only positive or negative. Results are reported as colony forming units per gram of stool
(CFU/g). One CFU is roughly equivalent to one microorganism (or one cell).
Results are expressed in standard scientific notation. For example, a reported result of 3.5e7 is equivalent to 3.5 x 10^7CFU/g, which equals 35,000,000 CFU/g, or
35 million CFU per gram of stool.
We have partnered with CLIA-certified labs that are regulated by the states, as well as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Many tests from these labs are FDA approved to ensure they meet the proper regulatory requirements. Additionally, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) requires inter-laboratory tests to ensure the ranges established by each lab do not drift or are not out of acceptable ranges. This is done by regularly testing reference samples between different labs. Finally, the labs test thousands of samples for different age groups and health conditions, and have well established reference data to compare your results against this large pool.
Q: Can you recommend a therapy if my numbers are high or low?
A: Unfortunately, no. As a lab test provider we can only test and report the results from your sample. We are not authorized to provide any medical recommendations. But we strongly encourage you to discuss the results with your doctor for next steps.
