Right now, half of America is experiencing at least one chronic condition. In many cases, the standard approach is to manage symptoms, such as using steroids for skin issues or immunosuppressants for autoimmune conditions. As a result, the average American now takes over 12 prescriptions per year. 😱 For those over 65, that number increases to 27 prescriptions. With so many medications, it can be challenging to feel healthy and vibrant.
This is why I and the Rupa team are dedicated to helping individuals explore the underlying factors of their health concerns and strive for optimal well-being.
Root cause medicine explores why you’re feeling unwell, rather than simply addressing symptoms.
This mission is personal for me. Both my mom and I have separately faced significant health challenges at different times in our lives. (Not to mention many, many friends as well.) These health mysteries led us to consult with numerous doctors. We were prescribed various symptom-managing medications -- antihistamines, antibiotics, steroid treatments -- but no one provided clear answers for why we were unwell. If you or a loved one have experienced this, you know how emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausting this journey can be.
Fortunately, we found a doctor who focused on identifying underlying factors. Through advanced testing, we gained insights. For me, it was mold exposure (my genetic makeup affects my ability to process mold). For my mom, it was imbalances in her microbiome, thyroid issues, and nutrient levels. By addressing these factors, we were able to improve our health. 🎉
Root cause medicine represents an evolving approach in healthcare, aiming to identify and address the underlying factors of health issues rather than just managing symptoms. Today, this approach is known by various names: functional medicine, precision medicine, personalized medicine, systems medicine, integrative medicine, and more. Practitioners consider a person’s health holistically and use advanced diagnostics to understand aspects like genetics, diet, stress, cortisol levels, microbiome, and more.
Rupa is the modern way to access advanced diagnostics.
We built Rupa to streamline the process of ordering specialty labs, enabling more doctors to practice root cause medicine. Today we’re excited to announce that we’ve raised $5.8M from First Round Capital, Floodgate, SV Angel, Lachy Groom, and other great investors to grow the company and continue to move healthcare in this direction.
Rupa addresses the challenges of labwork in root cause medicine. Traditional bloodwork -- like complete blood counts (CBCs) and metabolic panels (CMPs) -- may not provide the full picture. To explore underlying factors, practitioners use advanced tools such as DNA tests, microbiome tests, comprehensive hormone panels, heavy metals testing, and nutrient profiles.
Before Rupa, doctors had to sign up separately with numerous independent lab companies. To order and receive results, they dealt with a complex process involving faxes, phone calls, logins, and mail. Doctors were spending significant time managing these lab processes, but there was no easy solution.
Rupa offers a single sign-on that gives doctors access to over 2,000 specialty lab tests in one place. We reduce the time spent on administrative work from hours to minutes. Any licensed healthcare practitioner in the USA can sign up today and start ordering tests through Rupa in under five minutes. Their patients benefit from a modern experience too, with transparent pricing, SMS orders, and helpful digital instructions.
We’re helping what was once fringe become mainstream.
In January 2020, we released a prototype of Rupa to two doctors in the Bay Area. Within three months, Rupa expanded to clinics in nearly every state across the USA. Our platform now supports diagnostics for solo practices, mid-size clinics, and major hospital groups alike, including UC Irvine and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, a part of Sutter Health. We’re extremely proud to see Rupa being used coast-to-coast, not just in major coastal innovation hubs, bringing this type of medicine to patients across America. 😍 (One of the best days of my career was the day we had our first patient in my tiny hometown of Lubbock, Texas! 🤠)
What’s even more exciting (and why we wake up every day fired up to build this company) is the growth of the root cause movement as a whole. Major medical journals like JAMA are publishing research on the benefits of root cause medicine, and major hospital groups like the Cleveland Clinic, the University of California System, and the Mayo Clinic have added root cause departments. Thousands of new specialty diagnostics have entered the market with both new tests (DNA, microbiome, hormonal, etc.) and new sampling methodologies (saliva, stool, breath, urine, etc.). Google searches for root cause medicine-related terms have increased significantly over the last five years. The evidence pointing towards a future with root cause medicine at the forefront continues to grow. And yet, this is still the early stages of what will be a foundational shift in the way we practice medicine -- one where data and diagnostics are central. We couldn’t be more excited to accelerate this movement.
Rupa wouldn’t be here without the support of all of our incredible investors, advisors, and early believers. 🙏 To our early practitioners who still take the time to personally text message me feedback and words of encouragement -- thank you so much for believing in us! 😍 You are true trailblazers, and we feel so lucky to be a small part of the massive difference you’re making in this world.
At Rupa, we believe no one should have to spend years navigating numerous doctors like I did before exploring the underlying factors of their health concerns. We wake up every day thrilled to be accelerating this shift. Onward! 🚀
Love,
Tara
CEO & Co-Founder
Rupa Health
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