Designs and methods to facilitate swallowing of a tethered cell collection device

A packaging apparatus for administering a swallowable cell collection device to a patient, comprising:

• one or more bundling features configured to releasably retain a portion of a retrieval string of the swallowable cell collection device in a swallowable bundle;
• and
• a capsule housing configured to releasably retain a swallowable capsule of the swallowable cell collection device, wherein the capsule housing comprises one or more curved elements that contact at least the swallowable capsule, wherein the one or more curved elements of the capsule housing are configured to facilitate simultaneous grasping and removal of the retrieval string and the swallowable capsule from the packaging apparatus.