The SAFE app is partnering with HUD after raising $3.5 million from its investors, and together, they are adding in a feature that would let users post verifiable STD results. The goal is to reduce the spread of STDs.
HUD Community Manager Katie Wilson said sexually transmitted diseases have risen for the heterosexual and gay communities. On top of that, she said, sexual morals have changed, and people don’t mind hooking up with people they just met on a dating app. Wilson said it was important that people view casual sex and safe sex in the same sentence.
Wilson continued saying, it’s not just using condoms that can protect people but knowing their own and partner’s STD status is also crucial in keeping themselves safe.
HUD users can sync up to the SAFE app, which will then show the SAFE badge on the profile page, letting others know that they have taken STD tests and have the results if they want to see them.
HUD profiles started seeing the badge June 28, which kicked off the Pride weekend in New York City.
The investors that helped to fund SAFE include Caivis Investments, Flight Ventures, Mayo Clinic and Startup Health Ventures.
There has been a lot of attention going to health apps these days.
SAFE users can upload their STD results or set up a time to get tested at a local clinic. SAFE is deemed HIPPA compliant, which means the results are private and precise. The app will connect people to a lab where they can spend $99 and get tested or use their insurance to pay for testing. These results can be stored so each potential sexual partner can see them.
SAFE app Co-Founder Lauren Weiniger said SAFE is all about privacy, which means results are only seen to those the user chooses them to be. The SAFE badge is designed to inform other users that the user in question has recently been tested and has proven results. The SAFE app only stores the information – never shares or sends it.
HUD, which is based in New Zealand, is one of the most popular hook-up dating sites. It eliminates the need to find “the perfect one,” allowing users to enjoy dating with open and honest conversations.
And, thanks to the worldwide base, more users can connect with the resources offered by SAFE.
Weiniger said a verified status means users can’t fake the system since all the information comes from electronic health records provided by labs, doctors or clinics.
Written by Mark Riegel, MD
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