How to Choose the Right Test
Choosing a health test starts with the question you want answered. Some Camtech Health tests are built for an immediate decision, such as checking common respiratory infections when you feel unwell. Others support routine screening, family planning, or longer-term lifestyle reflection. They are not interchangeable, and a home test should never delay medical care when your symptoms are concerning.
Start With Your Question
“I feel unwell now. Could it be COVID-19 or flu?”
Choose the Covid-19 & Flu A/B Test Kit for a rapid home check covering COVID-19, Influenza A and Influenza B from one nasal swab. Results are available within 15 minutes.
Use the test exactly as the Instructions for Use describe. A negative result does not rule out every cause of respiratory symptoms and does not replace medical advice. NHS guidance sets out what to do when you have COVID-19 or flu symptoms, and who is at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell.1,2 If your symptoms are severe, persistent or worsening, contact a doctor promptly.
“My symptoms could be something other than COVID-19 or flu”
Choose the Covid 5-in-1 Test when cough, fever, a sore throat or tiredness could be linked to more than one respiratory infection. It checks a single nasal swab for antigens associated with COVID-19, RSV, adenovirus, Influenza A and Influenza B, and results are available in about 15 minutes.
The two respiratory kits differ only in coverage. The 3-in-1 kit answers “COVID-19 or flu?” and comes as a five-kit box for repeat testing. The 5-in-1 kit adds RSV and adenovirus, which is useful when a household includes young children or older adults. Both use the same at-home nasal swab method, and neither identifies every possible cause of respiratory symptoms.
“I want to understand my lifestyle traits and make more informed choices”
Choose one of the IDEAL DNA Wellness Tests when your goal is longer-term lifestyle insight rather than diagnosis or treatment. All four use a saliva sample collected at home, and your personalised report is typically available around three weeks after you return it.
IDEAL Health DNA Test is the broadest option, covering 56 traits across nutrition, fitness, skin and ageing, plus selected genetic risk scores. IDEAL Fitness & Nutrition DNA Test covers 35 traits across metabolism, body type, vitamin absorption, nutrient intake and selected fitness-related characteristics. IDEAL Allergy DNA Test covers selected genetic variations associated with allergy-related traits across four categories: food, plant, airborne and environmental, and chemical or contact-related. IDEAL Skin & Ageing DNA Test covers 21 traits across skin type, dermal sensitivities and longevity-related wellness.
These are wellness tests. They are not intended to assess disease risk, or to detect, diagnose, manage or treat a medical condition, and they do not replace a clinical allergy assessment, a blood test, a dietitian, a doctor or any other healthcare professional. A genetic predisposition does not mean a condition is present or will develop. Genetic and genomic testing arranged through the NHS serves a different purpose from a direct-to-consumer wellness test, and it is worth understanding the difference before you order.3,4,5
“I want to track my NAD levels over time”
Choose the NAD Test Kit to measure your NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) levels from a fingerprick dry blood spot sample collected at home. The sample is returned by post and results are available in about 3 to 4 weeks.
This one suits a different goal from the others on this page. The DNA wellness tests report inherited tendencies that do not change, so you take them once. NAD is a measurement that moves, so its value is in repeating it and comparing results while you change a lifestyle factor or supplementation routine.
It is a wellness test, not a diagnostic one. It does not detect, diagnose or monitor a medical condition, and a result should not prompt you to start, stop or change prescribed medication. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional if you have symptoms, an existing condition, or a result that concerns you.
Quick Decision Table
| If your main question is | Consider | What it is for | What it is not for |
|---|---|---|---|
| “What may be causing my current respiratory symptoms?” | Covid-19 & Flu A/B Test Kit (5 Kits Per Box) | Rapid home check for COVID-19, Influenza A and Influenza B | Every possible cause of cough, fever, sore throat or fatigue, or medical assessment when symptoms are concerning |
| “Could it be RSV or adenovirus as well?” | Covid 5-in-1 Test | One nasal swab covering COVID-19, RSV, adenovirus, Influenza A and Influenza B | A complete respiratory diagnosis, or a reason to delay care for severe symptoms |
| “What lifestyle choices may suit my genetic traits?” | One of the IDEAL DNA Wellness Tests | Personalised wellness and lifestyle insights | Diagnosis, treatment, or a replacement for routine health screening |
| “How are my NAD levels changing over time?” | NAD Test Kit | Measuring NAD levels from a fingerprick sample, to repeat and compare | Diagnosing, monitoring or treating a medical condition, or changing prescribed medication |
Before You Order
- Check the purpose. Decide whether you need immediate information about respiratory symptoms, one-off insight into inherited traits, or a measurement you intend to repeat and track.
- Check the sample and timing. Samples are a nasal swab, saliva, or a fingerprick dry blood spot depending on the product. Follow the supplied instructions for collection, storage, labelling and return.
- Check the turnaround. Rapid tests read in about 15 minutes. Laboratory results take around three weeks for DNA wellness reports and 3 to 4 weeks for the NAD test. Delivery and return shipping are separate from laboratory turnaround.
- Check the follow-up plan. Know what you will do if a rapid test is positive or invalid, if your symptoms continue after a negative result, or if a report contains something you did not expect.
- Protect your privacy. Review the current privacy notice and terms before you submit personal information or another person's sample, and obtain the required consent when testing someone else.
Important safety note
Home testing can make some health information more accessible, but it is not a complete health check and it does not replace NHS screening programmes or a consultation. Do not use a home test to delay urgent care. Seek medical advice for severe or worsening symptoms, persistent pain, or any result that concerns you. Always follow the instructions supplied with your kit, because product details, availability and regulatory wording can change.
