FAQ

How does Certific work?

Certific’s technology and testing process allow you to take a medically certified test,  safely in the comfort of your home. Through the unique testing procedure, Certific will verify your identity, your test device, the accuracy of your sampling, and your test result.

Process:

• Purchase a test kit from Certific’s online store, pharmacy or a partnering healthcare provider.
• Download the Certific App and create an account. At a suitable time, and from the convenience of your home, perform your test following the step-by-step instructions in the Certific App.
• Certific’s Test Quality Officers will (1) Verify your identity (2) Verify your test device and sample collection (3) Verify your test result 
• If everything was done correctly, the test will be signed off by a medical professional who will issue a diagnosis and treatment plan, which may include a medical prescription.
• For COVID-19 tests, a medical certificate will be issued showing your test result. 

What is the purpose of Certific?

Certific is a platform that enables certified remote medical testing at scale. We combine science and technology with easy and affordable access to mass testing to increase efficiency, speed and reliability of home testing.

Who was it made by?

Certific was created by entrepreneurs and scientists who wanted to find a better way to get us out of the economy shut down by using data smarter.

Is Certific a UK government authorised provider?

Certific offers healthcare services in partnership with Dr Jack Kreindler Consulting Limited, a government authorised provider in the UK.

What kind of tests can be taken with Certific App?

We currently offer online testing for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and testing for COVID-19. 

Can’t find the test you are looking for?  Please write to us at certific@certific.co and we will do our best to implement it as soon as possible. 

Who performs the tests?

The users themselves perform the tests in the privacy of their home. Our app and web platforms enable people to accurately perform the test themselves while following detailed on-screen instructions and guidelines. The test will then be reviewed by our Test Quality Officers and signed off by a medical professional.

What is a video-recorded test?

In the case of COVID-19 tests, in order to issue a medical certificate for travel purposes, a video of the testing process is required to verify your identity, your test device, the accuracy of your sampling, and your test result. The video will be reviewed by a medically supervised Test Control Officer.

Please note: Without a clear video recording of the test being done, we will not be able to issue your test certificate, and you will be asked to repeat the procedure with an unused test kit.

What happens to my photos, videos and personal information once the process has finished?

We aim at retaining your personal data for a minimum period of time, however, as healthcare providers we or our partners may have legal obligations to retain personal data for certain periods of time specified in law. Certific does not retain personal data longer than it is necessary for the purposes of processing personal data or pursuant to applicable law.

For detailed information, please see our privacy policy here.

You can use your data subject rights, for instance, "right to be forgotten", by sending a request to dpo@certific.co

I can’t log in to Certific App.

If you have not yet created an account with Certific, please choose one of the Sign Up options on the home page.   You will then be sent a verification email which will include a url link to complete your regsitration.  Please be sure to check the Spam folder. 

If you have previously created an account with Certific but cannot remember your password, please select "Forgot my password".   A link will be sent to your email address to enable you to create a new password.  Please be sure to check the Spam folder.  Please note: Our Customer Support Team do not have access to your account password, a new password must be created. 

If this does not work, please contact certific@certific.co.

I can’t find my token.

Your 6-letter token code can be found on a sticker placed on the box of your test kit or in an email sent shortly after completing your order.  Please be sure to check the email address registered upon your booking, not forgetting the Spam folder. 

If you are still unable to locate your token code, please contact us directly at certific@certific.co using the word TOKEN in the subject line.

My token doesn’t work.

Your 6-letter token is needed in order to create a new screening in the Certific App.

Please ensure that you are using the token at the correct stage and try typing the token rather than using the copy and paste method.

If you have already accessed the Certific App and input your token code, you will need to return to the screenings page and select your open screening from the list.  

On your open screening, you should see a box with the test type and then your name and date you input your token code and started a screening. Underneath you will find a blue button showing the status of your screening at giving you the option to proceed.

If you experience any problems, please try to log out and log back into the app using the same email address and details used for your previous registration.

If you are still unable to proceed,  please contact us directly at certific@certific.co using the word TOKEN in the subject line.

I am experiencing difficulties with the app.

Please be sure that your smartphone or tablet is updated to the latest software version. For Android users the software version should be Android 8 or later, Apple users will need to have IOS 14.8 version or later.

If your phone is fully up-to-date, and you are unable to access the downloaded version of the Certific App, please try accessing the online version of our App by using the following link on your phone or computer's Google browser: https://app.certific.co/

Please note:  When using the online version of the Certific App, a smartphone with a camera and internet connection will also be needed. 

If you have already logged into the Certific platform using the downloaded version of the app and are experiencing difficulties, please try to log out and log back into the app using the same email address and password used for your previous registration.

If you are still experiencing difficulties, please contact us directly at certific@certific.co providing as many details about your device as possible, including the make and model of your device and any screenshots of the error page.

When performing a video-recorded test, the red recording button is on, but I cannot see myself on the screen.

Please ensure that you have given permission to the Certific App to access your microphone and camera. 

To access the settings on your phone or tablet and check that camera access is enabled:

• Open the "Settings" folder and search for "Applications"
• Select the Certific App from the list and choose "Permissions"
• Scroll down to Camera 
• Confirm that "Ask" or "Allow" is checked 

If you are still experiencing problems, please try accessing the online version of our App by using the following link on your phone or computer's Google browser: https://app.certific.co/

Please note:  When using the online version of the Certific App, a smartphone with a camera and internet connection will also be needed.

If you are unable to find the settings, you may try uninstalling the Certific App and downloading it again, where you will be asked again to give permissions to the App.

I can't upload my photos through the app.

If you are using the downloaded version of the Certific App, please exit the app and log back in using the same email address and password used previously.

If you are still experiencing difficulties, please try accessing the online version of our App by using the following link on your phone or computer's Google browser: https://app.certific.co/

Please note:  When using the online version of the Certific App, a smartphone with a camera and internet connection will also be needed.

If you are still experiencing difficulties, please get in touch with certific@certific.co and let us know as many details as you can, including any screenshots of the error page and details of the device that you are using. 

If you are unable to upload your test result photo, please send the photo directly to, certific@certific.co using the word URGENT in the subject line.

I’ve uploaded the wrong photo ID.

Please contact us directly at certific@certific.co

I entered the wrong personal details, how can I amend these?

If you have not yet completed your test screening, please choose the “settings” option from the menu options. You will be able to edit your personal details and start the testing process.

If you have already completed your test screening, please contact us directly at certific@certific.co

How can I be sure that my data is kept safe?

We treat our customer data with utmost privacy and confidentiality, the same as you would expect from a medical consultation.

Customer data will only be used for the purpose of providing medical certificates, diagnosis, treatment plans and medical prescriptions when required. The personal data, photos and videos collected in the course of the testing process allows us to verify the identity, the test device, the testing procedure  and the test result. We apply the data minimisation principle when collecting and processing data.

This means that we only collect the minimum amount of data needed to provide our service.  We aim at retaining your personal data for a minimum period of time, however, as healthcare providers we or our partners may have legal obligations to retain personal data for certain periods of time specified in law. Certific will process your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You can use your data subject rights, for instance, "right to be forgotten", by sending a request to dpo@certific.co

Who does Certific share my data with?

Certific may share customer data with third party service providers, depending on the setup for providing services, however, the medical data may only be shared to the authorities due to reporting obligations and to those service providers that are necessary for providing the testing service. All of this is described in more detail in Certific's Privacy Policy.

What data does Certific process?

We have mapped the main data categories processed about the customer in our Privacy Policy, available here, however, the following data is generally processed to provide our services:

1. Personal identification information (Name, Date of Birth, Address, Email, Phone Nº, Passport Nº and Issuing Country);
2. Video/audio recording or photo capturing of the customer performing a test, such as COVID-19 rapid antigen test (exact data categories depend on the testing service and are further described during the testing process);
3. Photo of the customer’s test results;
4. Health questionnaire based on the test that will be performed (UTI, STI)

For how long is my data being stored?

We aim at retaining your personal data for a minimum period of time, however, as healthcare providers we or our partners may have legal obligations to retain personal data for certain periods of time specified in law. Certific does not retain personal data longer than it is necessary for the purposes of processing personal data or pursuant to applicable law.

For detailed information, please see our privacy policy here

You can use your data subject rights, for instance, "right to be forgotten", by sending a request to dpo@certific.co

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on Your computer or other device (such as smartphone, tablet, etc) by websites that You visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site. Please see our Cookie Policy.

Where can I find your Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Terms and Conditions?

Our general Terms and Conditions can be found here.

Certific’s Privacy Policy can be found here.

Certific’s Cookie Policy can be found here.

For more information, please contact us at dpo@certific.co

Where can I find your Refund Policy?

Certific’s Refund Policy can be found here.

For refund requests or enquiries relating to an existing refund, please contact us at certific@certific.co

For more detailed information regarding our refund policy, please contact us at dpo@certific.co

I need more information regarding data protection and privacy?

Please contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@certific.co or write to certific@certific.co

What you need to know about Private COVID testing and Private UK COVID testing 

Under the obligations to meeting the minimum standards set by the UK Government, Private providers must clearly communicate the following to all individuals and employers:

• the benefits and drawbacks of testing
• how reliable the results will be, and what the limitations are
• what your test result means
• how we and our Private Providers are following the measures for meeting the standards for testing set out in government guidance

Our Private COVID Testing partner ('Healthcare Provider') in the UK is an authorised, regulated clinic and medical laboratory that sets the requirements, supervises and issues your medical Certificate of COVID Status. We work closely with our Private Provider to ensure that both the provider and we follow the legislation and regulations that must be followed, including around data protection, patient confidentiality, mandatory reporting to Public Health England (PHE) in accordance with public health legislation. How we and the Healthcare Provider work to meet these standards can be read in our Terms and Conditions, Data and Privacy Policy.

What are the benefits of testing with Certific?

Certific empowers patients to perform medical tests in the comfort of their home and also offers  the benefit of being able to provide a quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, including a medical prescription when required. 

For our self test services such as UTI tests or COVID-19 tests, which do not require a sample to be returned to the laboratory, patient’s can receive their test result, diagnosis and treatment plan in as little as 60 minutes after completing their tests. 

For our laboratory based testing services, such as STI testing or COVID-19 PCR tests, patient’s can receive their test result, diagnosis and treatment plan within 24 hours of their test sample reaching our laboratory.

What are the drawbacks of testing?

Self-tests  by definition are taken by the patient or parent/guardian of the patient without any independent professional quality assurance or validation of the patient's identity. This means that you can only self certify that you did the test and did it properly. Certific overcomes this problem at a lower cost than a live interaction with or visit to a healthcare professional by allowing patients to record or provide photographic evidence in order to validate their identity and testing process to ensure that the test was performed to the medical standards required

How reliable will the Lateral Flow Antigen test result be?

Every Self Test LFT that Certific certifies (on behalf of the Healthcare Provider as having been taken correctly, being a valid test device and having been taken by the person claiming to take the test) devices that meet the standards set by the UK Government.

These test devices must carry a CE mark for self-test use and have also been independently validated for the purpose of self testing. As a result we rely on the manufacturer's performance claims backed up by the UK's official independent analysis and that the performance meets the standards required for self-test LFTs.

We certify on behalf of the Healthcare Provider that the performance of the self-test can be relied upon.

The reliability of a negative test result is not 100% as the sensitivity of the test is not 100%. For the detection of high viral loads which equate to high infectivity at the time of taking the test.

All tests we certify meet the required performance standards for travellers entering the UK of ≥97% specificity, ≥80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml (10^4).

What are the limitations of the test result?

This self-test result will, if valid, and taken properly, allow Certific to issue a medical certificate, treatment plan and a prescription on behalf of our partner Healthcare Provider. The certificate of the result is only for the test result at the time of taking the test.

For COVID-19 tests, we can make no guarantees that your status will have changed from the time you took the test to the time you travel. That means that if you are asked to retest prior to, for instance, travelling abroad, a negative test at the time may not be negative afterwards.

While we make every effort to ensure we only certify tests that comply with national and international standards for travel, you must check with the airlines, travel companies, and national authorities of the country you are travelling to that the test is valid for that specific country.

What does the COVID-19 test result mean?

A negative COVID-19 result means you are unlikely to be infectious and to give the virus to others at the time of taking the test. It does not prove that you are not infected and will become infectious in the coming days. A negative test normally means you do not have enough viral particles to be detected by the test.

A positive result means you have the virus and are most likely to be infectious to others. In this case, you will have to self-isolate and follow the national public health guidance immediately. This will normally mean you will not be able to travel and may need to self-isolate. In rare instances, Lateral Flow / Rapid Antigen test results can be positive when you would otherwise be negative from a laboratory PCR test, meaning a false positive result. The performance of the test is such that less than 3 in 100.

An invalid or unclear result means you will have to take the test again, as it was not taken properly or the test device was faulty.

What measures are we taking to meet the standards for testing?

Certific operates as an authorised sub-contractor of professional medical  services to UKAS Stage-3 applicant or fully accredited private testing providers ('Healthcare Provider')

We work on a continuous basis with Certific's Healthcare provider in the UK to ensure the service complies with several key standards and the requirements of numerous regulatory bodies:

1. International Standards for Medical Laboratories regulated by The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)
   ISO:15189
   ISO:22870
2. The Care Quality Commission of Great Britain (CQC) that regulates medical clinics has inspected the Healthcare Provider that their clinical facilities and Standard Operating Procedures meet the regulatory requirements.
3. The requirements of the Care Quality Commission and UKAS for the Medical Director of the Healthcare Provider Clinic and Medical Laboratory to be a GMC Registered, Appraised and Revalidated Doctor and for all staff and resources to meet the standards required.
4. UK Government's requirements to meet or exceed the minimum standards required for Private Providers of COVID testing in the UK.

Research with academic partners in Public Health and predictive modelling in the effectiveness and economic value of self-testing:
Imperial College London.