An online STI testing service designed specifically for gay and bisexual men has been launched by Lloydspharmacy.


The Man2Man STI testing kit is available via Lloydspharmacy's online doctor service and includes urine tests and rectal swabs for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, as well as a throat swab for gonorrhoea.

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The launch follows Health Protection Agency (HPA) figures showing that, despite an overall decline in STIs in England, gonorrhoea diagnoses in men who have sex with men increased by a third between 2009 and 2010, and chlamydia cases by 22 per cent.


The testing kit, which costs £89.99, can be ordered online and is delivered by first class post. Patients collect the samples then send them back to the online doctor laboratory in a pre-paid, pre-addressed packaging, with results normally ready within two to three working days. Patients testing positive will be given advice about treatment options.


Dr Thom Van Every, sexual health expert at Lloydspharmacy's online doctor service, said: "The discreet nature of the new Man2Man service makes it ideal for people who may be embarrassed about talking about intimate problems face-to-face, and is also a convenient solution for people who don't have the time to visit their GP or local clinic."


Lloydspharmacy acquired online doctor service DrThom from the company's founding directors, for an undisclosed sum in March this year.


The launch of the STI testing service also follows an advertising campaign for Lloydspharmacy's online doctor service that was launched earlier this year to promote its treatment of men's health problems. Focusing on the treatment of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, the advertising appeared in men's washrooms and a selection of national press titles including FHM and The Guardian.


The Lloydspharmacy online doctor service covers a range of conditions including contraception and STI tests, as well as a travel clinic, hair loss treatments and smoking cessation services.