When France launched its strategy to fight endometriosis in 2022, it widely promoted a simple saliva test that was promised to revolutionise diagnosis of the little-understood disease, which causes debilitating pain in women across the world.

However, after years of financial support from the government, significant questions remain about the effectiveness of the “Endotest” developed by French start-up Ziwig, several researchers have told AFP.

There is no doubt a better test for endometriosis would represent a major medical breakthrough. The chronic disease, in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, affects at least one in 10 women of reproductive age worldwide, significantly raising their risk of infertility.

Yet women often endure a long and difficult

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