​Is there a more comfortable way to test for allergies? The evidence says yes.

If you’ve ever sat in a clinic waiting room with a nervous child—or if you’re the one holding the lancet—you know that the "prick" in a Skin Prick Test (SPT) is often the hardest part of the consultation. While the results are vital, the traditional process can be a source of genuine anxiety for patients and a hurdle for practitioners.

At IG Medical, we often talk about the "Pain Control" (PC) technology in our Lincoln Diagnostics range, but we don't just want you to take our word for it. We believe in clinical evidence.

A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) took a close look at how patients actually perceive the pain of different testing methods. The results offer a compelling case for modernising the way we approach allergy diagnostics in Australia and New Zealand.

The Study: Multi-Test PC vs. Traditional Methods

Researchers conducted a randomized, multicentre study to compare the pain levels and skin reactions of the Multi-Test PC against a common vertical metal lancet.

The study looked at two key factors that matter most in a clinical setting:

1. Pain Intensity: How much did it actually hurt?
2. Diagnostic Accuracy: Did the modern device produce clear, reliable results?

What the researchers found

The data revealed a clear preference for the modern approach:

• Significant Pain Reduction: Patients reported significantly lower pain scores when tested with the Multi-Test PC compared to the traditional metal lancet⁵.
• Faster Testing, Less Stress: Because the Multi-Test PC can apply multiple allergens simultaneously (up to 8 at once), the entire procedure is finished in a fraction of the time.
• Clear, Reliable Results: Despite being "less painful," the device didn't compromise on accuracy. It produced consistent, easy-to-read wheal sizes that were comparable to traditional methods, ensuring a reliable diagnosis every time.

Why this matters for your practice

For a Commercial Manager or a Practice Operator, these findings aren't just clinical data points—they are insights into your "customer experience."

When you choose a system like the Multi-Test PC, you aren't just buying medical consumables; you are investing in a better patient experience. By reducing the pain of the procedure, you:

• Improve Paediatric Care: Make testing much less traumatic for children and their parents.
• Standardise Your Results: Reduce the "human error" that can come with individual manual pricks.
• Increase Efficiency: See more patients in less time without rushing the clinical process.

The Bottom Line

The "old way" of testing with generic metal lancets is exactly that—old. The clinical evidence from JACI confirms that the Multi-Test PC is a "kinder" way to test that doesn't sacrifice the precision your patients rely on.

As we move toward a more patient-centric healthcare model in Australia, it’s time to ask: is your clinic using the best tools available, or just the ones you’ve always used?

Interested in seeing the results for yourself?

IG Medical provides free evaluation sets for clinics across Australia and New Zealand. Contact us today and order the Multi-Test PC in your practice.