With the goal of removing stigmas and empowering a new generation to take action, Biem is offering the world's first virtual sexual health clinic. The app, which launched today, allows users to discreetly talk one-on-one with sexual healthcare providers, get tested right at home, receive results directly to their phones and effortlessly share the information with sexual partners.
Bryan Stacy, Biem's founder and CEO, created the mobile app's concept after he was diagnosed with Chlamydia and testicular cancer at once.
"I realized that the worst part of the entire experience was the two-month period before I was diagnosed--the time during which I felt something was wrong, but rationalized it away," says Bryan about the motivation for developing Biem. "I knew I had to eliminate the barriers that keep people in this damaging loop."
Photo courtesy Biem
Notably, Biem doesn't require a subscription and complies with all medical regulations. The app's judgement-free, information-forward experience requires a video chat with one of Biem's healthcare providers prior to getting tested, and costs $45 for each session. Once complete, users will get tested through one of the app's lab partners hosted throughout the United States. If users prefer being tested at home, there's an additional $45 fee.
As STD rates in the U.S. rapidly rise, Biem hopes to address the national epidemic with a platform that eliminates "the awkwardness, shame and inconvenience that prevents people from getting tested and talking to their sexual partners about health and STDs." Unlike other online heath clickbait, which often employs fear mongering tactics, Biem is an LGBTQ-friendly alternative that merges convenience with personalized care.
