Question 1

Who can use Prickly?

Accepted Answer

To request STI testing, you need to be 16 or older, physically in Australia at the time of your request, and able to verify your identity against official health records at registration. You’ll also need to be symptom-free, with no risk of HIV exposure in the last 72 hours (unless you’re taking pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, as prescribed with no missed doses) – Prickly is an at-home STI testing service for people without current symptoms or urgent concerns.

Question 2

Can I use Prickly if I currently have symptoms?

Accepted Answer

No. If you have symptoms – rash or itching in the genitals, unusual discharge from the genitals, burning when you pee, sores or bumps on the things you use for sex, pain in the genitals or lower belly, or bleeding after sex – you need to be seen in person at a sexual health clinic, GP clinic or urgent care clinic. Our clinical triage will flag this upfront and point you in the right direction. If it turns out at-home testing isn’t right for you – whether you spot it or we do – you won’t be charged for the test, as long as your answers were given in good faith.

Question 3

I may have been exposed to HIV in the last three days – what should I do?

Accepted Answer

Don’t request STI testing – visit www.getpep.info or attend a sexual health clinic, urgent care clinic or emergency department ASAP. If you’ve had a possible HIV exposure in the last 72 hours and are not taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as prescribed, you may need post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and it has to start as soon as possible. Prickly tests for established infections, not acute exposures, and time is critical here. If something happened without your consent, 1800RESPECT is also available 24/7 for free, confidential support.

Question 4

Can I request STI testing for someone else?

Accepted Answer

No – only for yourself. As a clinical service, every request has to be legally tied to the person being tested: you’ll need to register with your own details, verify your identity, be the one completing the questionnaire and performing the STI test. Anyone else will need to make their own request.

Question 5

What happens if the clinical triage finds that at-home testing isn’t suitable for me?

Accepted Answer

You’ll be directed to the right service instead – a sexual health clinic, GP clinic, urgent care clinic or emergency department. If at-home testing isn’t suitable for you, you won’t be charged for the test, as long as your answers were given in good faith.

Question 6

Is Prickly covered by Medicare?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you book a call. A short phone call with a doctor is bulk billed to Medicare, and so are your lab tests, so there’s nothing to pay. If you’d rather not have a call, the online request costs $54: Medicare doesn’t cover care delivered by questionnaire, so that fee can’t be claimed back, but your lab tests are still bulk billed. Your telehealth follow-up can be bulk billed too. You can also be tested in person at a public sexual health clinic or a bulk-billing GP clinic, usually with nothing to pay. More in what an STI test costs, with or without Medicare.

Question 7

Can I claim Prickly on my private health insurance?

Accepted Answer

No. Private health insurance doesn’t cover GP or telehealth consultations, so neither fee is claimable through your policy. If you have a Medicare card, the call option is bulk billed instead.

Question 8

Can I claim this on my overseas student/visitor health cover?

Accepted Answer

The call, yes – pay the $54 fee, then claim most of it back from your insurer. The online request sits outside OSHC/OVHC cover, so its fee can’t be claimed. Either way, your lab tests are billed to your insurer; if your policy excludes pathology, the lab charges you directly – typically around $70, subject to its current fee schedule.

Question 9

Are there any fees beyond the listed price?

Accepted Answer

The listed price covers everything you need for your testing – the doctor’s review or call, delivery and return shipping, all collection equipment, and lab tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. HIV testing is optional: a free self-test from hivtest.au, or one from us for $25, posted with everything else (not available with a bulk-billed call). The only exception is OSHC/OVHC policyholders whose insurer doesn’t cover pathology; in those cases, the lab invoices directly, typically around $70. As we can only prescribe medication, not dispense it, any prescriptions are charged separately by your pharmacy.

Question 10

What if my lab sample can’t be processed or I need to retest?

Accepted Answer

If any of your lab samples turn out to be inconclusive – too small a volume, damaged in transit, or affected by a collection issue – we’ll arrange replacement collection equipment at no extra charge. If your HIV self-test arrives faulty or damaged, we’ll replace it at no charge too; otherwise, additional testing requires a new test request.

Question 11

Who can see my personal and health data?

Accepted Answer

Your information is handled in line with the Australian Privacy Act and the My Health Records Act. It’s shared only with the doctor reviewing your file, the Prickly team member who packs and dispatches your collection equipment (they see your name, delivery address and the contents of your mailer box, including the pathology request form – nothing else. They hold a current police check, have signed a confidentiality agreement, are trained in the Australian Privacy Principles and can’t see your questionnaire answers, clinical notes or results), Halaxy – the secure practice management platform holding your medical record and processing your payments via its integrated PCI DSS-compliant payment gateway – the NATA-accredited lab processing your lab samples, Australia Post to deliver and return your collection equipment, any pharmacy dispensing a prescription for you (and Evermed, the delivery service, if you choose home delivery of your prescription), Google Workspace as our secure email infrastructure when we correspond with you, and any relevant public health unit or department when mandated by law. We don’t sell your data, and we don’t share it with third parties beyond what’s required to deliver your care.

Question 12

What’s the difference between Medicare and Private testing?

Accepted Answer

With Medicare, the call and the lab tests are bulk billed, and it’s only available to people with a current Medicare card (green, blue or yellow). Private testing is available to anyone, and is the more discreet option: nothing is billed to Medicare or any OSHC/OVHC insurer, and lab tests are included in the fee. With Medicare, the bulk-billed call and lab tests appear in your Medicare claims history in myGov. Whichever you choose, you can opt out of My Health Record uploads when you request. If maximum discretion is your priority, choose Private.

Question 13

What will show on my bank statement?

Accepted Answer

The charge appears as PHPL – the same code for Prickly Health Pty Ltd that’s on the mailer box – and the statement line doesn’t name Prickly, STIs or testing. Some banking apps look up the merchant and show a fuller business name, though. Your payment receipt and invoice do name the service, and they’re emailed to the address you register with.

Question 14

Will my lab test results appear on My Health Record?

Accepted Answer

By default, your lab test results are submitted to My Health Record, as they are from any healthcare provider. If you opt out of uploading your results to My Health Record, that preference is passed to our partner lab – with any test, Medicare, OSHC/OVHC or Private.

Question 15

Does Prickly notify health authorities if I test positive?

Accepted Answer

Certain infections – including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV – are notifiable conditions under Australian public health law. A doctor is legally required to report confirmed positive results to the relevant state health department, to the extent permitted under the law. This is the same obligation that applies to any sexual health clinic, GP clinic or lab in Australia, and it’s not something any healthcare provider can opt out of. Where the law allows, your data is partially de-identified to help protect your privacy. For HIV, a positive at-home result isn’t a confirmed result – notification is handled by the practitioner who orders your confirmatory lab testing.

Question 16

How long is my personal and health data kept?

Accepted Answer

Your records are retained in line with Australian healthcare requirements – a minimum of 7 years from the date of last service for adults 18 or older; for anyone under 18 at the date of last service, until they turn 25 or for 7 years, whichever is longer. They’re stored in an ISO 27001-certified system. To request access to your records, email hello@prickly.com.au.

Question 17

How does Prickly work, from start to finish?

Accepted Answer

Request online. Submit an online request in about 5 minutes, or book a short call with a doctor. Either way, a doctor confirms at-home testing is suitable for you.
Receive your equipment. Collection equipment tailored to your exposures ships in an unmarked mailer box – usually the next business day. Delivery generally takes 2–6 business days, with tracking notifications from Australia Post (the sender shows as PHPL, our code for Prickly Health Pty Ltd).
Collect at home. Collect your samples following the included STI testing self-collection guide – swabs and urine samples for the lab, and a fingerprick HIV self-test you read at home in 15 minutes.
Post to the lab. Post your lab samples back the same day you collect them, using the included prepaid return label – drop them at any Australia Post Office, red street posting box or Parcel Locker.
Get your results. A doctor reviews every lab test result and emails you a private notification 3–8 business days after you post your lab samples back – no portal or account needed.
Follow up if needed. If any result needs action, your telehealth follow-up appointment is included at no extra charge. For chlamydia, your doctor can usually manage treatment directly, including an electronic prescription you can fill at any pharmacy – or we can arrange home delivery through Evermed (the medication itself is a separate cost). Gonorrhoea needs treatment given in person, so you’ll receive a formal referral to a local clinic. A positive HIV self-test needs confirmatory laboratory testing on the request of a medical practitioner, so that’s a referral too.

Question 18

Do I need a doctor’s referral before I request testing?

Accepted Answer

No. Your online request or call is all you need – the doctor confirms at-home testing is right for you and generates your pathology referral. More in getting an STI test without a clinic visit.

Question 19

What does a doctor actually do with my questionnaire?

Accepted Answer

A qualified Australian doctor reads through your answers – your sexual history and risk factors – to confirm at-home testing is suitable for you and determine which tests are appropriate. They generate a formal pathology referral so your tests can be performed by our partner lab. It’s a clinical decision, not an automated one.

Question 20

Is there a real human reviewing my case, or is it automated?

Accepted Answer

There’s a real doctor reviewing your file, not an algorithm. Your intake questionnaire is assessed by an Ahpra-registered Australian doctor who decides whether at-home testing is appropriate for you and what tests should be ordered. If you request online, you won’t speak with them unless they need more information (in which case they’ll phone you); if you book a call, you’ll talk it through with them directly. Either way, they’re the one making the clinical call.

Question 21

I have a question before I request testing. Who can I contact?

Accepted Answer

Email us at hello@prickly.com.au. We’re a small team, but there’s a human on the other end – we can answer questions about the service and administrative issues, but for anything clinical, you’ll need to talk to one of our doctors.

Question 22

Will anyone know what’s inside the mailer box when it’s delivered?

Accepted Answer

No. Your collection equipment arrives in a plain cardboard mailer box – the sender shows as PHPL (our code for Prickly Health Pty Ltd) for postage and tracking purposes, and that’s the only clue anywhere. To anyone else, it’s just another parcel.

Question 23

What’s inside the mailer box when I open it?

Accepted Answer

Your STI testing self-collection guide, your collection equipment, a pathology request form, and a prepaid return label. Nothing more – less packaging keeps costs down, and there’s nothing extra to give the game away.

Question 24

How quickly will my collection equipment arrive after I request testing?

Accepted Answer

Your questionnaire is reviewed and your equipment ships as soon as possible – usually the next business day. Delivery then takes 2–6 business days depending on where you are – metro areas are generally at the faster end, rural and remote at the slower end.

Question 25

Can I use a Parcel Locker or PO Box?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Everything ships via Australia Post, so any valid address works – PO Boxes and Parcel Lockers included.

Question 26

What if my package gets lost in the mail or arrives damaged?

Accepted Answer

Let us know at hello@prickly.com.au and we’ll organise replacement collection equipment – no charge, no fuss.

Question 27

What is the at-home HIV self-test?

Accepted Answer

It’s the Atomo HIV Self Test – a fingerprick screening test for HIV antibodies, included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) for self-testing at home, with a result in 15 minutes. Two things to know about any HIV self-test: the test may not detect HIV acquired in the last 3 months, so consult a medical practitioner if exposure was possible during this time; and the test is a screening test and a positive test result requires confirmatory laboratory testing on the request of a medical practitioner. Always read the label and follow the directions for use – the test isn’t suitable if you’ve already been diagnosed with HIV, are taking antiretroviral treatment or have a bleeding disorder. For help performing or reading the test, call the manufacturer’s helpline on 1300 235 035. Free, confidential HIV support services are listed on the Care Card in the test box and on the manufacturer’s website. You can also get the same kind of self-test free from hivtest.au, run by NAPWHA, if you’re 18 or over (one request every 6 months) – it’s requested separately on their site.

Question 28

Which STIs does Prickly test for?

Accepted Answer

Prickly tests for asymptomatic chlamydia and gonorrhoea, with HIV as an optional fingerprick self-test – free from hivtest.au, or posted with your testing for $25. We don’t test for syphilis, human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes (HSV), Mycoplasma genitalium, trichomonas, bacterial vaginosis, thrush, mpox, hepatitis A, B or C, or any other STIs. Remember – if you currently have symptoms, you need an in-person assessment at a sexual health clinic, GP clinic or urgent care clinic.

Question 29

Why doesn’t Prickly test for syphilis or hepatitis?

Accepted Answer

Because testing for them needs blood, not the urine and swab samples you post to the lab. Syphilis and hepatitis are tested from blood drawn from a vein at a pathology collection centre, and the results need to be read alongside your history – a syphilis test can stay positive for life after a treated infection, and a hepatitis B result depends on whether you’ve been vaccinated. There’s currently no suitable at-home option in Australia for syphilis or hepatitis. We plan to add syphilis as soon as a suitable option becomes available. In the meantime, ask a sexual health clinic or GP clinic to include syphilis and hepatitis in a routine blood test. The Australian STI Management Guidelines recommend regular syphilis testing for many of the same people who test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, and hepatitis A and B are vaccine-preventable, so it’s worth checking your immunity at the same time.

Question 30

How do I actually collect my samples?

Accepted Answer

It depends on which samples your test requires – some combination of a urine sample, swabs from the throat, vagina or anus, and a fingerprick blood sample for HIV. Every request comes with our STI testing self-collection guide that walks through each step of using your collection equipment so you know exactly what to do.

Question 31

How accurate is at-home testing?

Accepted Answer

Your lab samples are analysed using PCR testing by our NATA-accredited partner lab – the same method used in sexual health clinics and GP clinics, to the same standard. Collecting the lab samples yourself isn’t a compromise either – the Australian STI Management Guidelines endorse self-collected vaginal, throat and anal swabs, so it’s how many clinics collect them too. The at-home HIV self-test is a different tool from the lab test a clinic would order: it uses a test included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), and the trade-off is a longer window period – around 12 weeks, versus 6 for in-clinic lab tests. In laboratory testing, the Atomo HIV Self Test correctly identified 99.6% of HIV-positive samples (its sensitivity) and 99.6% of HIV-negative samples (its specificity). In field evaluations with first-time self-testers, those figures were 94.3% and 95.2%, so real-world results depend on the test being performed correctly. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Two things to know about any HIV self-test: the test may not detect HIV acquired in the last 3 months, so consult a medical practitioner if exposure was possible during this time; and the test is a screening test and a positive test result requires confirmatory laboratory testing on the request of a medical practitioner.

Question 32

What are window periods, and why do they matter?

Accepted Answer

A window period, as defined by the Australian STI Management Guidelines, is the time between an exposure and when a test can reliably detect an infection. Test too soon and the infection may not show up yet, even if it’s there. For chlamydia and gonorrhoea, the window is around 2 weeks; for HIV, around 12. A negative result during a window period isn’t a guarantee.

Question 33

I had sex recently – how long should I wait before testing?

Accepted Answer

You can test any time, but it’s worth knowing the standard window periods – the time it takes for an STI to become detectable. For chlamydia and gonorrhoea, that’s around 2 weeks; for HIV, around 12. If you test within these windows, we recommend retesting once you’re outside them.

Question 34

How often should I get tested?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your situation and risk profile. For many sexually active adults, an annual test is a sensible baseline; the Australian STI Management Guidelines recommend testing as often as every 3 months for people at higher risk, such as men who have sex with men with new or casual partners. Your doctor can advise what’s right for you. One thing to know if you test frequently: Prickly doesn’t yet cover syphilis or hepatitis, so see a sexual health clinic or GP clinic periodically for those tests as well.

Question 35

I was recently treated for an STI – can I still request testing?

Accepted Answer

If you were recently treated for chlamydia or gonorrhoea, you can request testing, but you should wait until 4 weeks after treatment before completing it – residual genetic material from the treated infection can still produce a positive result.

Question 36

Is there an expiry date on the collection equipment?

Accepted Answer

There’s no expiry printed on the mailer box – the equipment’s shelf life covers shipping times. That said, complete your test as soon as it arrives, so every component is well within the manufacturer’s expiry – expired equipment can’t be used.

Question 37

How do I return my lab samples to the lab? Is return shipping included?

Accepted Answer

Yes – return shipping is included. Take the prepaid return label out of the mailer box, stick it over the original shipping label, and drop the mailer box at any Australia Post Office, red street posting box or Parcel Locker. You should receive your lab test results within 3–8 business days of posting. If you haven’t received your results within 14 days, get in touch at hello@prickly.com.au and we’ll look into it.

Question 38

How do I package the lab samples for the return?

Accepted Answer

Your collection equipment comes with a sealable specimen bag with cotton wool balls inside. Collected lab samples go in the specimen bag; once it’s sealed, it goes back inside the mailer box – then peel and apply the prepaid return label and post it. The STI testing self-collection guide included with your equipment walks you through it step by step.

Question 39

Can I hold onto my collected lab samples before posting them?

Accepted Answer

No – post them the same day you collect them. Lab accuracy depends on your lab samples reaching the lab quickly.

Question 40

What’s the best day of the week to mail my lab samples back?

Accepted Answer

Monday to Wednesday, ideally. That gets your sample to the lab fastest, and keeps it from sitting in an Australia Post facility over the weekend.

Question 41

Which lab processes my samples?

Accepted Answer

4Cyte Pathology is our NATA-accredited partner lab, processing your lab samples using PCR testing to the same standard as any Australian pathology provider. They’re accredited to ISO 15189, the international standard for medical laboratories.

Question 42

How will I receive my lab test results?

Accepted Answer

By email, as soon as they’re finalised – no portal or account to log into. A negative result means nothing was detected on this test – though if you collected within a window period, retest once you’re outside it. A positive, indeterminate or failed lab test result is worded neutrally, for your privacy – it says action is needed, with a secure link to book your telehealth follow-up appointment. Your at-home HIV self-test is different – you read it yourself, 15 minutes after the fingerprick, so it isn’t emailed. If it reads positive or doesn’t work, see a sexual health clinic, GP clinic or urgent care clinic ASAP – you can always book a telehealth follow-up appointment if you want to talk things through. More under ‘What happens if I test positive?’, and in understanding your STI test results.

Question 43

What happens if I test positive? Is treatment included?

Accepted Answer

Your telehealth follow-up appointment is covered – included at no extra charge for everyone (bulk billed if you have Medicare and are happy to use it). From there:

Chlamydia: our doctors can manage this directly at your telehealth follow-up, including an electronic prescription where clinically appropriate – fill it at any pharmacy or have it delivered to your door (the medication itself is a separate cost).
Gonorrhoea: this needs treatment given in person, so you’ll receive a formal referral to a local sexual health clinic, GP clinic or urgent care clinic.
HIV: a positive at-home self-test isn’t a diagnosis – it’s a screening result, and a positive test result requires confirmatory laboratory testing on the request of a medical practitioner. If your self-test reads positive or doesn’t work, see a sexual health clinic, GP clinic or urgent care clinic ASAP for confirmatory testing and, if HIV is confirmed, specialist care. You can always book your telehealth follow-up appointment if you want to talk things through – our doctor can explain the result and send a formal referral. Free, confidential HIV support is available in every state and territory: see the Care Card in your test box or the manufacturer’s support services list, or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day.

Question 44

Are my lab test results shared with My Health Record or Medicare?

Accepted Answer

When your lab samples are dispatched, your opt-out preference is passed to our partner lab, and in our experience it’s applied correctly – though as an independent lab, we can’t guarantee it in every case. If complete privacy matters to you, a Private test records your opt-out by default, and nothing is billed to Medicare or any OSHC/OVHC insurer.

Question 45

Can I download a copy of my lab test results?

Accepted Answer

Your lab test results arrive as an email notification rather than an attached report, for your privacy. You’re always entitled to a copy of your own records – email hello@prickly.com.au and we’ll provide them once your identity is verified. For a positive result, you’ll also get a summary of your care that you can consent to have forwarded to your sexual health clinic or GP clinic. For a negative result, your full lab report can also be viewed and downloaded on My Health Record – as long as you haven’t opted out of uploading.

Question 46

What happens if I forget to check my results or book my telehealth appointment?

Accepted Answer

We follow up. If you receive a positive or indeterminate lab result and haven’t booked your telehealth appointment within 14 days, we’ll reach out directly – by phone first; then, where the law requires it, with formal notification to your state’s Public Health Department and/or a letter to your address. This isn’t optional on our end: an unresolved infection is a risk to you and to others, and we treat it that way.

Question 47

How do I get my prescribed treatment?

Accepted Answer

If you’re prescribed medication for chlamydia – this is the only STI Prickly treats directly – your doctor will send you an electronic prescription at your follow-up and talk you through your dispensing options. You can fill it at any Australian pharmacy, or, if you’d prefer, we can arrange home delivery through Evermed – a delivery service whose partner pharmacies dispense your prescription and deliver it to your door. Delivery fees and areas are set by Evermed, and the medication itself is charged separately by the dispensing pharmacy. Prickly has no financial interest in Evermed.

Question 48

What if I have a problem with my treatment, like side effects?

Accepted Answer

Book a follow-up telehealth appointment and one of our doctors will reassess you – adjusting your prescription, addressing side effects, or referring you on if needed. It’s covered at no extra cost, the same as your first follow-up.

Question 49

Do I need a test of cure after treatment for chlamydia?

Accepted Answer

Not usually – a test of cure is only recommended around 4 weeks after you finish treatment, if you’re pregnant or if an anal infection needed second-line treatment. We’ll let you know at the time of organising your treatment if this is recommended for you. If so, you can book a follow-up telehealth appointment and your doctor will arrange it. It’s covered at no extra cost, the same as your first follow-up.

Question 50

Do I need to tell my sexual partner(s) if I test positive?

Accepted Answer

Yes – recent sexual partners need to know so they can get tested and treated too, which also helps protect you from reinfection. Your doctor can talk you through this, including how far back to trace contacts, at your telehealth follow-up appointment. Let Them Know is a free notification service for people who have been diagnosed with an STI to easily let their sexual partners know they might be at risk.

Question 51

Can I have sex while I’m being treated?

Accepted Answer

It’s best to avoid sex, including with a condom, until you and any partners have finished treatment. This varies depending on what you’re being treated for, so check with your doctor at your telehealth follow-up appointment.

At-home
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