Rhinomed

Rhinoswab is a patented comfortable, self-administered nasal swab that provides high-yield sampling and fits existing pathology workflows.
Clinically equivalent to combined nose and throat swab
Standardized, consistent sampling process
Comfortable and pain free
Preferred by users over standard swabs
Easy to use
Rhinoswab is listed for sale as a Class 1 device in Europe (CE Mark), in the United States with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the UK with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), in Canada with a Medical Device Establishment Licence (MDEL) and in Australia with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Rhinoswab’s standardized sample collection process provides a 1.4 times larger sample for testing than the regular Copan ESwab to optimize the reliability of the test result. 
The full results of the Rhinoswab Sample Capture Study can be found here.
Rhinoswab’s standardized sample collection process is pain free and easy to follow.
Rhinoswab is compatible with both laboratory based RT-PCR testing and rapid antigen testing.
Amy Crowe, Yves Poy Lorenzo, Darren Jardine, Kumar Visvanathan, Evaluation of a novel anterior nasal swab for the detection of SARS-CoV-2,  Journal of Virological Methods, 2023
During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, nasopharyngeal swabs, combined throat and nose swabs and saliva samples have been evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 detection using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAT). Literature on anterior nasal swabs is limited and comparative studies often group anterior nasal and mid-turbinate swabs together. This study  investigated a novel anterior nasal swab, Rhinoswab™, that has been designed to standardize  self-collection, maximise sample uptake and improve user comfort.
Twenty two symptomatic adult participants were recruited at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and tested on days 2, 4 and 11. The study used combined throat and nose swabs and neat saliva samples as the comparators. SARS-CoV-2 detection was performed using the AusDiagnostics SARSCoV-2/Influenza/RSV 8 well assay. 
In the study Rhinoswab™ performed equally well in comparison to a combined throat and nose swab for the laboratory detection of SARS-CoV-2 using nucleic acid amplification techniques.
Financial sponsor: Rhinomed
An independent laboratory, Gnomix (Adelaide, Australia) was engaged to compare the elution efficiency of the Rhinoswab™ compared to a traditional nasal swab (Copan ESwab™).
The study found that the CT scores for the two swabs were comparable at 20 μl loading for both high and low virus burdens.
The study also evaluated the sample yield or average sample recovery for the Rhinoswab compared to a traditional nasal swab (Copan ESwab™).
These results suggest a superior elution efficiency for the Rhinoswab when comparing identical initial loadings of both the high and low virus burden sample.
A SARS-CoV-2 spiked study was conducted at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.
The study evaluated the efficacy of Rhinoswab in transferring a viral load for testing compared to a commercially available standard flocked swab (Copan ESwab™) using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR).
Both Rhinoswab and the Copan ESwab™ reported 100% accurate diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2
According to several recent peer-reviewed studies and scientific papers that have compared nasal swabs to nasopharyngeal (NP) or Oropharyngeal (OP), self-collected mid turbinate nasal swabs (supervised or at-home) represent a reliable alternative to NP and OP swabs collected by healthcare workers for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, flu and other common respiratory viruses. 
Based on evidence such as this, both the US CDC and the FDA have approved self-collected nasal sampling (supervised or at-home) as an acceptable specimen collection method for SARS-CoV-2 testing and other respiratory viruses.
In a usability study conducted by Rhinomed over 90% of users found the device to be easy or very easy to use to use as part of a self-collection kit for viral testing.1
Rhinoswab’s novel design standardizes its placement within the nose, facilitating the collection of a quality sample, no matter the user group1 (n=32).
Collection by a healthcare worker or supervised self-collection in a clinical setting
COVID-19 testing clinics
Hospitals
GP clinics
Pathology centres
Self collection in a non-clinical setting (where local guidelines permit)
At work, especially in high risk occupations requiring high frequency testing
Factories
Abbatoirs
Airlines
At place of study
Universities/colleges
Schools
At home
There have been no adverse outcomes associated with Rhinoswab to date, other than occasional light nasal spotting when the swab is removed1
There are no specific contraindications for collecting samples with Rhinoswab. However, similar to all other swabs11, clinicians should be cautious if the patient has had recent nasal trauma or surgery, has a markedly deviated nasal septum, has a history of chronically blocked nasal passages or severe coagulopathy, or is taking anticoagulant therapy
Rhinoswab’s positioning in the low-mid nasal turbinates reduces the likelihood of sneezing during sample collection and avoids the risk of coughing/gagging that comes with NP/OP swabs. This mitigates the risk of aerosol generation at time of sampling, decreasing the infection risk to any healthcare workers in attendance3,12,13
A user experience study was conducted in 2021 by the Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ) and the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) in the Netherlands, with the support of the Municipal Health Authority (GGD Gelderland Zuid) at their COVID-19 mass testing sites.
People were invited to take part in the study after a nasopharyngeal swab sample had been taken by a healthcare worker for covid testing. In total, 556 people agreed to self-test with Rhinoswab and of these 302 participants completed an online survey providing comparing and providing feedback on their experience with Rhinoswab and the traditional sampling method. 
87% of participants chose Rhinoswab as their preferred sample collection method for future covid tests.
98% of participants required little or no guidance when from a healthcare worker when using Rhinoswab.
74% of participants found Rhinoswab to be comfortable or very comfortable and only 2% rated it as uncomfortable.
98% of participants reported they experienced NO DISCOMFORT or PAIN when using Rhinoswab
Anecdotal reports indicate that some individuals avoid or delay testing due to the pain/discomfort that may be experienced with traditional swabs.10
The superior comfort of Rhinoswab has the potential to improve patients’ willingness to undergo testing, thereby enhancing viral testing rates.
Financial sponsor: Rhinomed
NSW Health Pathology tested 19,000 Year 12 students as they attended Qudos Bank Arena to receive their covid vaccinations in August 2021.
Students self collected a nasal swab using Rhinoswab and the test was conducted using rapid pcr.
Students were also invited to take part in an online survey about the sample collection process. The aim of the study was to explore the Rhinoswab user experience and compare that with health care collected sampling methods they may have experienced in the past.
2532 students completed the survey, with 1190 having had health care collected swabs in the past.
91% of students found self collection with Rhinoswab easy to use.
76% of the respondents who have previously had HCW collected swab, would prefer Rhinoswab for future tests.
68% of students found Rhinoswab comfortable versus 28% for HCW collected swabs.
Rhinoswab does not require any change to your pathology workflows and can be immediately integrated with your existing transport media and collection tubes
Rhinoswab can be included in your self-collection kits, with easy-to-follow written and video instructions
Rhinoswab samples are also suitable for many rapid antigen tests that can accommodate Rhinoswab’s unique design
Medical grade quality; polycarbonate handle with flocked nylon tips
Comparable price to traditional swabs
FDA registered (Class I)
Suitable for individuals 16 years or older; paediatric size available in near future
Available in shipper carton with 2 bags each containing 500 swabs (total 1000 swabs)
Further resources such as technical specifications and datasheets to support the procurement process within your hospital, health service or organization are available upon request or can be downloaded here.
Yes. Rhinoswab and Rhinsowab Junior can be used with rt-PCR testing.Rhinoswab is compatible with most existing pathology workflows and standard transport media and collection tubes. In some cases, automated liquid handling equipment require a change of script for the adult swab.
Yes. Rhinoswab is listed for sale as a Class 1 device in Europe (CE Mark), in the United States with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the UK with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), in Canada with a Medical Device Establishment Licence (MDEL) and in Australia with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Rhinoswab may be administered directly by a healthcare professional, or self-administered by adolescents (12 years and older) and adults. Users under the age of 16 years, or those challenged by vision, cognitive, dexterity, literacy or language limitations, may require the assistance of an adult aged 21 years and over.   Rhinoswab Junior is designed for children aged 4 years and over.
Both Rhinoswab and Rhinoswab Junior have been validated in clinical trials as comparable to the standard combined throat and nose swab.
No. Rhinoswab and Rhinoswab Junior are self administered.Rhinoswab is designed to be self administered to minimise risk to health care workers. Health care workers may supervise the sample collection process if necessary for those who are under 16 years of age or those who have cognitive or other challenges. 
Yes. A usability study showed that 77.1% of participants found the swab to be very comfortable or comfortable and a further 20.8% found it to be neither comfortable nor uncomfortable.In a study of 53 children, 89.8% described Rhinsowab Junior as comfortable or a little uncomfortable, and 88% prefer Rhinoswab Junior over combined nose and throat swabs for future tests.
No. A usability study showed that 97.9% of participants (47 out of 48 participants who took part in the trial) reported that they experienced no pain at all when using the swab. Further, a user experience study conducted in 2021 by the Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ) and the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) in the Netherlands, found that 98% of participants reported they experienced NO DISCOMFORT or PAIN when using Rhinoswab. In a study of 53 children, 89.8% described Rhinsowab Junior as comfortable or a little uncomfortable, and 88% prefer Rhinoswab Junior over combined nose and throat swabs for future tests.
Yes, nasal swabbing is a valid sample collection method.Swabbing only the nose is a valid sample collection approach. Scientific literature and guidance provided by the FDA, CDC (Center for Disease Control) and WHO support the efficacy and reliability of nasal swabs that access just the front of the nose rather than the depth of the nasal cavity. 
No. Rhinoswab is not a test.There are three stages to conducting a covid test; 1) Collect a sample 2) analyse the sample 3) report the results. Rhinoswab provides a comfortable alternative to standard nasopharyngeal swabs for collecting the sample. Once Rhinoswab collects a sample from the nose, the swab is placed in a standard vial containing saline transport media and sent to a lab for testing. The test is conducted within the pathology laboratory using rt-PCR testing equipment.
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health SARS – Co-V2 (COVID-19) Fact Sheet states: “Collection of nasal swab specimens is less technically complex, so can reduce the risk of the spread of infection to healthcare providers, by (1) reducing the duration of the procedure, and (2) allowing the patient to perform self-collection while under supervision.”
Self collection of nasal swab samples are safer for Health Care Workers who can supervise patients performing self collection from a distance rather than the HCW performing the collection.The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health SARS – Co-V2 (COVID-19) Fact Sheet recognizes that self collection of nasal samples “… also lessens PPE utilization, given that the patient can perform self-collection under supervision (versus the health care provider performing the collection).”
If you would like to trial Rhinoswab to determine how well it performs on your equipment or in your laboratory, please contact Peter Jordan, SVP Business Development, at pjordan@rhinomed.global to arrange a trial.