‘Sex is something that’s essential to life’

FemTech World meets Georgia Di Mattos and Bianca Dunne, founders of iPlaySafe, to discuss sexual wellness and health.

Tell us about iPlaySafe in a nutshell

Georgia: iPlaySafe App is a new medical platform that allows users to get tested and importantly share their sexual health status with others in a simple and anonymous way. 

All users have to do is download the app on their phone, and purchase an iPlaySafe Box.  This is an at-home self testing kit to use and test for the six most common and infectious STIs (Clamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV, Syphilis, Hepatits B and C) via blood and urine samples, before sending in a pre-paid envelope and receiving the results within two to five working days. 

We wanted to create a safer physical and digital environment for individuals of all ages and wider communities to get tested discreetly and conveniently and to share their statuses in a fun and sexy way.

What have you achieved and what do you want to achieve with iPlaySafe?

Bianca: We’re working with a new and established lab, called PreventX, which will help us roll out our app to more consumers in the UK and also in Europe as it has presence in a couple of cities. We are also in discussion with other medical partners which could be a game changer in making sexual health testing more accessible, so watch this space!

Georgia: We also have a number of exciting conversations on the table with some well known dating apps and community based platforms which we hope to integrate with. We don’t want to be seen as a competitor to other dating apps out there, but more of a solution, to help those who are actively dating, meeting new people and practicing sex – to make sure they do it healthily. Normalising online testing and sexual health testing is a huge focus for us.

What benefits can iPlaysafe have for women’s health?

Bianca: An incredible amount. The number of men, women, all genders who may not know that they have an STI is incredibly high. The number of STIs contracted daily continues to rise and with sexual health/testing being a taboo, it’s very dangerous for people not getting tested. Some STIs such as chlamydia, if untreated, can lead to further health scares and infertility down the line so it’s of paramount importance that people are getting tested proactively – rather than reactively so as to detect any mishaps right away.

Why is important for Femtech to focus on sexual health?

Georgia: Sexual wellness has gone a long way in terms of tech and tech advancements. Vibrators of course are an obvious offering within this, but integrating technology into testing and sexual health testing itself is something that’s so important and we hope will really be a game changer.

Further down the line, it would be amazing if we could use FemTech to not only help with just sexual health testing but things like cervical smear testing – as again, these are things that are avoided by so many women and those who have vulvas. 

We are hoping that by integrating and incorporating tech into testing today, we can help a greater number of people focus on their sexual health and do more proactively and regularly.

What should change about sexual health education?

Bianca: Thankfully, there have been improvements in the world of sexual wellness. However, we are conscious that there is a still significant gap in the world today when it comes to our sexual health.

Without at-home testing services, it’s so difficult and inconvenient for people to get tested – it should become a normal, consistent thing that we all do regularly. That’s a huge goal of ours – by challenging the space and helping normalise testing, we want sexual health screening to be a fundamental and legal requirement for everyone to do.

Why do you think sexual health is still considered a taboo?

Bianca: Sadly, when most people today think of STIs and sexual health infections, they automatically think ‘that’s dirty, that’s disgusting’ – whereas, if you really think about it there’s not much difference in catching a cold from somewhere. Sex is something that’s essential to life. We all have it. We all want to maintain healthy lives – which is why we brush our teeth, we go to the doctors, we practice yoga – so why not consider sex and getting our sexual health tested the same proactive action to take to stay healthy?

What do you see in the future of iPlaySafe?

Georgia: We’re ambitious but we know we can make our dreams a reality. 

Firstly, when it comes to sexual health, we want to work with more reputable partners that will really help us normalise testing, making it easier and more cost effective for people of all demographics, ages, and lifestyle to get tested. 

The dating world is another huge element that we want to improve. By integrating with dating apps, we’re making the dating world safer for those practising sex. 

We know we’ve got a long way to go in ensuring our app meets the needs of all and the industry too, but it’s a hugely exciting place and it’s going to be a game changer!