Screening support partner. Namida Lab makes the Auria test. It supplements routine screening and does not replace it.
A tear test is not a mammogram. Here is what it actually is.
Auria, from Namida Lab, measures two protein biomarkers in a tear sample collected at home in about five minutes. Namida is clear that it is designed to supplement routine screening rather than replace it, and that it is for information and educational use rather than diagnosis. We think that honesty deserves an equally honest page, so this one explains the limits before the benefits.
Four things to know before you buy
- It does not replace a mammogram. Namida states plainly that Auria is designed to supplement routine screening and not replace it.
- It is not a diagnostic test and cannot tell you whether you have breast cancer. Namida describes it as for information and educational use only.
- It is a lab developed test, not an FDA approved one. It was validated inside Namida’s own high-complexity CLIA laboratory. The FDA currently exercises enforcement discretion over tests in this category.
- The biomarkers it measures also rise with benign conditions. A flagged result frequently turns out not to be cancer. See the specificity section below, because this is the part most people misunderstand.
If you have felt a lump or noticed any change in your breast, do not buy a test. Namida themselves state Auria is not intended for women with an unevaluated palpable mass or area of concern. Book a specialist now or contact your own physician today.
What Auria measures, and why tears
Described using Namida Lab’s published materials, attributed rather than endorsed. UberDoc has not evaluated or verified the test or its validation data.
Auria measures two protein biomarkers in tear fluid, S100A8 and S100A9. Namida’s explanation is that these proteins can be present as part of the early inflammatory processes associated with tumour formation, and that elevated levels may indicate an abnormality in breast tissue.
The reason for using tears rather than blood is a signal-to-noise argument. Namida’s position is that large components in blood can mask small cancer markers, and that those components are not present in tears, which makes small protein biomarkers easier to detect.
Collection is a paper strip placed against the lower eyelid for about five minutes. No needles, no blood draw, no radiation and no compression. The sample is mailed to Namida’s laboratory in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and processed there.
What comes back is a score and a classification corresponding to an urgency level, indicating when a mammogram should be scheduled. That framing is worth reading twice. The output of the test is advice about imaging. It is not a substitute for imaging.
- What kind of test is it
- A lab developed test, designed, developed and performed within a single laboratory. Namida’s high-complexity CLIA laboratory validated it under the supervision of its Medical Director.
- Who regulates that
- Laboratories in this category are regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. The FDA currently exercises enforcement discretion over lab developed tests.
- Is it FDA approved
- No. A CLIA certified laboratory and an FDA approved test are different things, and the difference matters. CLIA speaks to laboratory quality and process. It is not a finding by the FDA about this test’s clinical performance.
- Intended use
- Namida states the test is designed to supplement routine screening and not to replace it, is for information and educational use only, and is not intended for diagnostic purposes.
- Who it is not for
- Namida states it is not intended for women with an unevaluated palpable mass or area of concern in their breast tissue.
What “moderate specificity” means when it is your result
Namida’s provider materials report specificity of 54%. Most marketing pages will not tell you what that implies. It is the most important thing on this page.
How often the test flags something when something is there
Namida reports the test as sensitive for the detection of breast abnormalities and publishes its figures in provider materials. A test that rarely misses is doing the job you would want from a screening support tool.
- Ask Namida for the current published figure before you buy
- No test catches everything, including mammography
How often it correctly stays quiet when nothing is there
This is the trade-off. At 54% specificity, a large share of women with no cancer will still get a flagged result. Namida notes the same markers are elevated in association with benign masses, and states that like a screening mammogram, Auria should not be used to differentiate between them.
- A flagged result is not a diagnosis and often is not cancer
- It means go and get imaged, nothing more and nothing less
- If anxiety between results and imaging would be hard for you, factor that in before buying
Both outcomes end in the same place
Whichever way the result goes, the next step is a clinician. That is not a caveat, it is the design of the test.
| Your result | What it means | What it does not mean | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagged, higher urgency | The measured biomarkers were elevated. Namida’s output indicates when a mammogram should be scheduled. | It does not mean you have cancer. At moderate specificity many flagged results are not cancer, and these markers also rise with benign conditions. | Book imaging and see a specialist. Do not wait, and do not panic. |
| Not flagged | The measured biomarkers were not elevated at the time of the sample. | It does not mean you are clear, and it is not a reason to skip or delay your routine mammogram. No screening support test rules cancer out. | Continue your routine screening on the schedule your clinician recommends. |
| Any result, but you have symptoms | Nothing. Namida states Auria is not intended for women with an unevaluated palpable mass or area of concern. | A reassuring result never overrides a symptom. | See a clinician now, regardless of what the test said. |
Who this may suit, and who should skip it
May be worth considering
- You are 30 or over and at average risk, with no current symptoms
- You are under 40 and not yet in a routine mammography programme
- You have dense tissue or implants and want an additional data point alongside imaging
- You avoid or lack access to imaging and want something that might prompt you to go
- You can act on a flagged result quickly and calmly
Skip it and see a clinician instead
- You have a lump, a change, discharge, skin change or any area of concern
- You are hoping this lets you avoid or postpone a mammogram
- You are already overdue for screening. Book the imaging, not the test.
- You are at high risk or have a significant family history. That needs a specialist and a risk assessment, not an at-home test.
- An ambiguous result would cause you distress you cannot act on promptly
Auria is sold by Namida Lab, not by UberDoc
We do not sell it, do not price it, do not fulfil it and do not process your sample. Purchase, results and support are handled entirely by Namida.
- Tear collection strip, about five minutes, no needles or blood
- Processed in Namida’s high-complexity CLIA laboratory
- A score and urgency classification, delivered through a secure dashboard
- Consultation support for clinically significant findings
- Kits carry an expiry date, and samples arriving after it are not processed
Opens auria.care in a new tab. Namida Lab sets the price, sells and ships the kit, processes the sample and delivers the result. UberDoc is not the seller, is not a party to your purchase, and does not receive, process or store your sample, your result or any health information from this test. Any commercial arrangement between UberDoc and Namida Lab will be disclosed on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Auria replace my mammogram?
No, and Namida says so themselves. The test is designed to supplement routine screening and not to replace it. Its output is a score and an urgency classification indicating when a mammogram should be scheduled, which means the test points toward imaging rather than standing in for it.
Is it FDA approved?
No. Auria is a lab developed test, validated inside Namida Lab’s high-complexity CLIA laboratory under its Medical Director. Laboratories in that category are regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under CLIA, and the FDA currently exercises enforcement discretion over lab developed tests.
CLIA certification and FDA approval are not the same thing. CLIA speaks to laboratory quality and process. It is not an FDA finding about how well this particular test performs clinically.
I got a flagged result. Do I have cancer?
A flagged result does not mean you have cancer. Namida’s provider materials report specificity of 54%, which means a substantial share of women without cancer will still be flagged. Namida also notes that the biomarkers measured are elevated in association with benign masses, and that like a screening mammogram, Auria should not be used to differentiate between benign and malignant findings.
What a flagged result does mean is that imaging and a clinician’s assessment are the next step, promptly. Booking a breast specialist on UberDoc usually takes days rather than months.
I have a lump. Should I take this test first?
No. Namida states that Auria is not intended for women with an unevaluated palpable mass or area of concern. A lump needs clinical assessment and imaging, not a screening support test, and using one could delay the care you need. See a clinician now.
Who can use it?
Namida describes Auria as intended for women aged 30 and over, at average risk, regardless of breast density, and mentions dense breasts, implants, screening avoidance and lack of access as situations where women consider it. Check Namida’s own eligibility guidance before purchasing, since it is theirs to define and may change.
Does UberDoc sell this or make money from it?
UberDoc does not sell Auria, does not set its price and does not fulfil orders. The purchase is directly with Namida Lab. UberDoc earns its fee on specialist consultations booked on the platform, which is the same whether you buy this test or not. If any commercial arrangement with Namida exists it will be disclosed on this page.
Does UberDoc see my results?
No. Your sample, your result and any health information connected to this test stay between you and Namida Lab. Nothing from the test reaches UberDoc.
Is there a version for physicians?
Namida describes a separate clinical product for providers that requires no specialised equipment or personnel. If you run a practice and are evaluating it, contact Namida directly. Availability through UberDoc’s practice marketplace has not been agreed and nothing should be inferred from this page.
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Validation data, performance characteristics and provider materials come from Namida Lab directly.
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