US may get over-the-counter HIV tests

[Deleted]

This will be a really awesome step forward.

[pixy0stix]

May 16, 2012 16:40:44 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Or once people get the results, perhaps they will be less likely to do something about a positive result than they would have had they been at a doctor's office or clinic when getting the positive result.

This is where I'm at. So you get a positive result, now what do you do?

[Deleted]

I think that having to go to a clinic to get tested is an even higher barrier to getting treatment.

[Deleted]

I thought they sold home tests for HIV. You just have to send the results in the mail and then call a number. This would be better of course, but something like that is out there.

ETA: Yup here it is:

www.walgreens.com/store/c/home-access-express-hiv-1-test-system/ID=prod5135-product

[judgejudy]

May 16, 2012 16:42:35 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

May 16, 2012 16:40:44 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Or once people get the results, perhaps they will be less likely to do something about a positive result than they would have had they been at a doctor's office or clinic when getting the positive result.

This is where I'm at. So you get a positive result, now what do you do?

Per the article, "The panel also advised that the packaging should carry a toll-free phone number offering counselling to those testing positive."

I am fine with this as long as they provide people with some sort of guidance such as the above suggestion.

[wawa]

Next...you....call a doctor! Think of like a pregnancy test. How many oopsie pregnancies wouldn't get tested for until it was too late to get proper prenatal care or an abortion if you had to go to the doc to get tested?

[basilosaurus]

I imagine I'd go on a bender first, then call a doc.

[curmudgeon]

May 16, 2012 16:48:31 GMT -5 @redbellpeppers said:

I think that having to go to a clinic to get tested is an even higher barrier to getting treatment.

ITA with this. It seems more likely to avoid going to the clinic to get tested than swinging by the drugstore. I really hope this goes through.

[orangeblossom]

Not a fan, and I work in public health, so I'm all for prevention and early diagnosis.

That said, there is a lot that goes on when a test shows that it's positive. There's counseling, contact tracing, setting up specialist appointments, medication, etc. that I wouldn't want to leave up to the individual follow-up. Though, I will say that I would imagine that the people that are buying home test, are the type of people that would follow-up responsibly (big assumption, I know).

Lastly, HIV is a reportable disease (for good reason) and who will assure that it gets reported. I think the option where they have to send the tests away to a lab is better, because the laboratory would be obligated to report to the public health department.