'Gynepunks' DIY Gynecology For Underserved Women

New submitter Alien7 sends an article about a group of bio-hackers who are out to bring DIY gynecological medicine to women who don't have easy access to it. Under the name GynePunks, they're assembling an arsenal of open-source tools for DIY diagnosis and first-aid care—centrifuges made from old hard drive motors; microscopes from deconstructed webcams; homemade incubators; and 3D printable speculums. ... So far the work is largely focused on diagnosis, and members of the collective are quick to note that what they’re creating is far from a comprehensive solution. It’s limited by some obvious factors—access to materials, a place to put them together, and the time to do it. But where the infrastructure does exist, and people are motivated to do so, it is very possible to establish some useful alternatives for self-care. As an example, Klau pointed to a pilot vinegar test program that’s lowered cervical cancer deaths by some 31 percent among poor women in Mumbai’s slums.

Comments

How things have changed

[Anonymous Coward]

Not that long ago we would have an article about using a few lenses from old telescopes and microscopes to make a webcam.

What?

[ScentCone]

We're worried about people being able to afford a speculum (they cost about $0.90 each at retail) so we're ... suggesting they just fire up their handy 3D printer?

Re:What?

[BenJeremy]

Sure, it might take a while to print it out, but they can always chill drinking their organic double mocha latte and reading on their iPad Air tablet while it prints

Now stop talking sense, you. Practicality and critical thinking gibberish have no place when hipsters are out to save the world!

Re:What?

[fustakrakich]

they cost about $0.90 each at retail

A day's wages in some places. The community printer can make a bunch to give away... Oops! I know what you're thinkin'... Those damn commies are at it again! Pretty sneaky, huh?

Re:What?

[tnk1]

I do have to admit, I do wonder about some of these projects.

Still, I think their actual goal is to cater to people who might have more access to a 3-D printer than a doctor, so presumably the value is in the instructions on how to conduct and properly evaluate tests, not the actual speculums.

Since this is LGBTQ-related, I am guessing that they have trouble finding doctors to serve them more often, rather than poverty itself being the major issue. The thing about Mumbai was to illustrate the value of simplified testing to a certain underserved grouping. As usual, the summary was somewhat deceptive.

Re:What?

[amicusNYCL]

"The community printer". Because when a bunch of people making a dollar a day pool their resources, they decide to buy a 3D printer. What about the materials to make things, how much do the refills go for?

Re:What?

[fredgiblet]

Less than the cost of what they can make with it. Keep in mind that for a lot of these places it's not a matter of hopping onto Amazon and having it shipped to you 2nd day for free with Prime. A lot of people in developing nations have to put a LOT of work in to get supplies, the 3D printing supplies can be bought in bulk and made into whatever they need.

Re:What?

[fustakrakich]

Well, you know, a doctor with his bag of tricks could wander by and give a hand. In a country like India, with its heavily suppressed wages, there has to be a demand that the government fill in (yeah, I know, commies). Of course that same popular demand could fix a whole bunch of much more basic problems, but what the hell, start small.

Re:What?

[ScentCone]

Or, any one of these enterprising hipsters could drop a note to the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, who could arrange to buy 10,000 of them wholesale for a tenth of that amount and have them delivered along with all of the supporting supplies and a commitment from an actual trained professional to show up and train people on how to use them. And they'll still work when there's no power for that ridiculous 3D printer (which, by the way, isn't going to make something like that with anything CLOSE to a smooth enough, or sterile enough surface to be appropriate to the task).

Re:What?

[fustakrakich]

And they'll still work when there's no power for that ridiculous 3D printer

Oh shit! *Solar panels not included*? Send it back! Damn vulture capitalists... They should just open a 7/11 and sell speculums there. Buy two, get one free..

Re:What?

[I'm New Around Here]

Well, if they throw in the phrase "on a computer", they can patent the whole process, including making $20 microscopes from $90 webcams.

Re:What?

[ScentCone]

So, you're intending to use the alcohol to melt the surface of the filament-printed medical devices so that they aren't abrasive? Or will you also be shipping sandpaper, polishing compound, etc., along with the other materials, to leverage these absurdly slow-to-make rough pieces of plastic you intend to insert into women?

Re:What?

[Overand]

Is there a speculum-maker in your neighborhood? No? How about someone with a 3d printer? It's not just about affording things, it's about availability. Because, you know, there's this thing where *some* aspects of women's health are illegal now?

Title is confusing

[fey000]

Does it say un-deserved or under-served?

This is like the website address for Expert's exchange.

Re:Title is confusing

[wonkey_monkey]

Therapist finder
Pen Island

and so on.

Re:Title is confusing

[sconeu]

I'll take Anal Bum Cover for $1000, Trebek!

Re:Title is confusing

[I'm New Around Here]

Saw a comment long time ago about a guy who bought a new video card for his workstation. He sent the receipt to payroll to be reimbursed.

The lady there didn't think it was appropriate he was being reimbursed for VIAGRAPHIX, as the receipt showed.

Re: Some things shouldn't be DIY

[dirtyhippie]

Wow, do you really think access to slightly flawed health care is worse than *none* at all? That's simply amazing.

How bad is it when...

[digsbo]

It seems so obvious that basic law enforcement, economic develop, and educational reform would fix most of these kinds of problems, that I'm forced to wonder how awfully bad government corruption is that going to these extremes seems a practical choice for the people doing it.

I don't get it...

[kenh]

...and 3D printable speculums

There is a large, unservered population of women without access to a gynecologist but do have access to a 3D printer?

Re: Some things shouldn't be DIY

[I'm New Around Here]

Hmmm, who to agree with about health care. An Anonymous Coward, or a Dirty Hippie.

Decisions, decisions.

;^p

Re:I'm not a gynocologist

[I'm New Around Here]

Sounds like it should be a Staff Pick on Kickstarter.

I never associated hardware hacking

[Ukab the Great]

hobbies with observing a real, live vagina (that was consenting to be seen). Guess I learned something new today.

A cheaper solution

[argStyopa]

Recruit and train 8th grade boys?

They'll do it for free, anytime, any place.

Plus, speaking frankly, the close-up reality of "modes of failure" in that equipment will likely turn them off sex entirely for years, lowering teen pregnancy.

Re:I'm not a gynocologist

[tehcyder]

I knew a guy who was a semi-retired gynecologist.

He worked one day a week just to keep his hand in.

*rimshot* (oops)

Re:that's my old chat-up line...

[tehcyder]

"I'm not a professional gynecologist but I'll certainly take a look at it for you." (sometimes said while holding the printed side of a CD to my forehead)

I'm just guessing but you're still a virgin aren't you?