Channel 4 might be doing STI clinics a disservice when it comes to patient fears about what might happen to them when they go in for a sexual health checkup on their show, The Sex Clinic.
Although The Sex Clinic is widely praised for the work that it does in educating us all about the importance of testing for sexually transmitted infections, there’s one thing that it shows, that isn’t quite right.
The sexual health charity, Saving Lives took to Twitter to calm the fears of any guys out there worrying that a penis swab (that’s where they stick a swab down your pee hole) will be taken for testing and it turns out that the swabs that happen on the programme are actually done to fit in with the TV format, rather than refecting what actually happens.
They wrote,
We know we say this every week but: The penis swabs used on #TheSexClinic are NOT standard practice for routine STI screening in UK sexual health clinics. Usually, we just ask for a urine sample. The swabs are used on the show to give rapid results to fit the TV show format.
So there you go, don’t fret. Go for a check-up. If you’re there for a regular and routine check-up it’s very unlikely you’ll have to even show the doctor or nurse your dick.
Phew… right?
