NICE approves provisional NHS use of two endometriosis tests

Two new medical tests designed to dramatically speed up the diagnosis of endometriosis have been approved for provisional use within England's and Wales's National Health Service. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published draft guidance on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, recommending EndoSure and Endotest for a three-year evaluation period.

Endometriosis, a condition affecting roughly one in ten women of reproductive age in the UK, involves tissue similar to the womb lining growing elsewhere in the body. It causes symptoms including severe pelvic pain, painful periods, and pain during sex or bowel movements. Currently, diagnosis often relies on imaging scans or invasive laparoscopic surgery, and the average time to receive a diagnosis is more than nine years, a delay that can extend to eleven years for women from ethnically diverse communities.

The newly approved tests offer non-invasive alternatives. Endotest requires a saliva sample, which is analyzed in a laboratory for specific biological markers called microRNAs that indicate endometriosis. The EndoSure test measures electrical signals in the gut using sensor pads on a patient's abdomen; it requires a...