Nurx Review – Our Verdict

NURX Review Summary

NURX Review Contents

About The Brand

Nurx was founded by Hans Gangeskar and Dr. Edvard Engesæth a company and service designed to give you the choice to pick your healthcare with freedom and control over costs. Their business values are based on working to make healthcare more accessible and simpler for everyone with online and digital access to better healthcare without the surprise costs at the end.

Nurx is a modern healthcare company providing a home-based care pathway, from testing to treatment services, giving you the freedom and flexibility to take care of your own health. 

They offer access to a range of at-home tests with fast results that help you on your way to discovering infections, dysfunctional wellness and other normal healthcare concerns that would ordinarily require a visit to a physician.

Tests can help you on your way to healthier well-being, with Nurx treatment services available to at-home testing customers and customers with general healthcare concerns. If you’re unsure of the type of treatment you might require, an at-home test is the best place to start.

The platform

The Nurx site is somewhat a utility portal, where you log in and access the services that you need online. These range from skincare treatment programs to birth control, alongside a selection of at-home tests. This is all underpinned by their webshop where you can access supplementary products, additional tests and miscellaneous healthcare products.

What tests

Nurx has a modest line of at-home STD tests and a collection of fertility and pregnancy tests.

Value

Pricing is mid-level competitive, not the cheapest, but not the most expensive when compared to similar like for like products. Across the board, their at-home tests can differ from some brands even though they're labeled similarly. An STD test at Nurx might test for a different collection of infections to a competitor, so it is recommended to note what you might be looking to investigate and see if that's covered in the list of screened infections. The upfront fee on the site is for the test kit, Nurx can access and offer treatment with most insurance providers covering that additional cost.

Test kits

Tests appear easy to access and are easy to administer at home on your own. These are recognized medical procedures, you’ll be taking your own blood samples, urine, stool and saliva in many cases, so be prepared for the minor discomfort of having to collect your own sample with their guided instruction packs. 

Other info

You can use insurance for part of the cost of the test and treatment. This varies across tests so is best checked personally during the purchase process. Shipping the test is free; they use USPS 1-3 day priority shipping to provide free delivery, so prescription deliveries will typically arrive in as little as 3-5 business.

Service Quality

Specializing in common concerns and treatments, Nurx is offering flexible access to simple healthcare services like fertility testing, birth control, sexual health screening and skincare treatment. Online physicians check over your tests and your medical questionnaires, offering support and medication with often faster turnaround than your standard visit to your healthcare practitioner.

Buying a test

Buying a kit is a little more complicated than most online test retailers. Nurx has a main site, where you’ll find their at-home tests and prescription based treatment services, but attached via a subsite is a shop where they sell over the counter medicines and more household medical tests e.g pregnancy tests, sperm count, covid antigen and so on. 

Stay in the main area of their website, if you’re looking for health screening or prescriptions services which start at their home page and follow the ‘Get Started’ links. This walks you through what you’re likely to buy for your particular need without getting too lost. Competitors have set their websites up as at-home test shops, which we find a little easier to navigate.

Instead of ‘buy now’, with each Nurx test, you need to ‘Request A PRescription’ on each product, which then guides you through a questionnaire, you buy the test and begin your healthcare journey. Ultimately it feels a lot more convenient than waiting for an appointment with a physician, even if the process could be refined.

Shipping

Shipping was pretty fast and tests arrived within the 3-5 business days. The box came in a discreet package with no branding or no indication of what was inside. The test came with a prepaid return box, fully addressed back to their labs.

Taking the test

The test itself is quite thorough, with a little bit more to do than some of its rivals. On this occasion we had to return 3 samples, to test for 5 infections. A blood prick sample, which requires a small tool (provided in the kit) to puncture the tip of your finger, from which you fill up a small vial with your blood. Along with a swab sample from the throat and a further “separate” vaginal swab. 

It's a tricky medical process, so you need to be in a clean and calm environment with no distractions, we can see how easily these tests could be contaminated if one thing goes wrong like a spill or you drop a swab. With all that said, it's fairly easy to take if you’re patient and appreciate reading instructions before setting off and taking your samples.

Results

Negative results came back within a week and we were given access to text chat with a healthcare professional, who would have been able to process our journey onto a prescription if we came back with anything positive in our test results. There was no online account area for us to review our results independently, it was all provided through direct contact from the Nurx team.

Service Specs
Purchase	Online Store
Shipping	Free In 3-5 Business Days
Collection Types	Blood, Urine, Swabs (Throat, Rectal, Vaginal)
Results	5-8 Days, Once Received By Lab
Customer Service	Call Mon-Fri 9am – 5pm, In-app text

Test Accuracy

Labs

Nurx has a partner lab called Molecular Testing Labs™. This is a high spec lab that specializes in complex molecular testing and is CAP-accredited, so it meets the scientifically rigorous standards required for sensitive healthcare procedures. Molecular Testing Labs™ is CLIA-approved, achieving the US government’s standards of quality and safety under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments.

Tests

The tests are thorough and the medical history questionnaires are detailed enough without you having to hand over especially private information. The tests and questionnaires do require a level of sensitivity and are aimed at uncovering medical issues, you have to up for the challenge of coming out of your comfort zone slightly i.e taking your own blood, genital swabs and sex-related questions.

The company

We felt quite at ease with the whole process and it's clear through all the privacy notices and terms of Nurx are discreet and your medical history with Nurx remains private. They can connect with a primary care physician if you choose to allow this, but their objective is focussed on putting healthcare in your hands, so you own your own health journey from taking a test, finding your results privately and obtaining a prescription treatment if required. Nurx is also part of the Thirty Madison company.

People

We are doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and physician assistants who are passionate about providing patient care.

Nurx

Nurx services are backed up by healthcare professionals. These are the same people that in alternative walks, would likely be working as face to face physicians or in hospitals, but are now partnering with online tech companies to make online healthcare more accessible.

How To Buy

Where to buy

Nurx has an online process for obtaining tests and treatment through a prescription service that you apply for online. They also have a web shop where you can buy over the counter medicines, tests and supplements.

Product categories

Nurx doesn’t have the most extensive range, but we feel that keeps them more focussed on offering a good service via a more concentrated product inventory. They currently offer services for STDs, HIV, Skincare, Fertility, Birth Control and some less popular but important services like migraine treatments, along with treatment services for herpes and cold sores.

Products

They offer treatments and at-home tests for STDs, HPV screening, fertility and pregnancy testing, alongside their additional prescription services in skincare for Acne, Anti-aging, Rosacea and other over the counter skincare products in their shop.

The process

1. You apply for a test through the website homepage ‘Let's Get Started’
2. Or select your test category from their main menu and follow the instructions
3. Instead of a buy button you fill out a prescription health history questionnaire
4. The kits are posted to you discreetly with free shipping in plain packaging
5. Take your test and send it back to the lab in the prepaid packaging
6. Receive your results from a healthcare professional via text
7. Follow up with a prescription and further advice if required

Further info

Nurx feels like an honest healthcare company trying to make a difference with a more refined care experience. They haven’t overstretched themselves with too many products or services and instead seem to focus on the core issues of sexual health, birth control, skincare and fertility. They could improve some of the digital experience, but it's still much more convenient than waiting around for a visit to a primary care physician.

Price Range

Nurx charges $15 on top of all their test purchases, which gives you unlimited access to the text service, where you can access advice and support from their team of healthcare professionals.

Standard kits

All STD kits (with up to 5 infections tested) costs $95 from Nurx, but you can supplement some of the cost in most cases through your insurance provider. 

An HPV kit is $79, but once again with a recognized insurance provider, this could be bought for $49.

Where necessary, Nurx can follow up with FDA-approved medication for $0 with most insurance providers.

Some Tests

Sexual Health Screening

These home STD tests cover the most common and more advanced sexually transmitted diseases from Chlamydia/Gonorrhea to HIV and syphilis.

Female Health Testing

A collection of test kits specific to the functions of female health. These are a range of test panels useful for highlighting concerns particular to female health and fertility.