HIV Testing in Your Own Home

HIV testing can be a very frightening experience. For that reason many people choose not to get tested. And as we know, HIV testing is the key to getting a handle on the HIV epidemic. However, there are HIV home test kits available to allow HIV testing at home. But are all HIV test kits created equal?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) HIV Testing Guidelines

A Matter of Accuracy

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the United States government agency that assures that all HIV home test kits are accurate and safe to sell and use. The FTC says one specific test is not accurate and has halted the sale of the test in the United States. The Discreet Home Test Kit, sold on two different websites; AidsHIVtest.com and Discreettest.com are said to have produced thousands of inaccurate results; false negative and false positive.

Explaining HIV Testing

The websites in question that sell the kits claim an accuracy of 99.4 percent, but the CDC contends the actual accuracy is much less. A temporary restraining order has been obtained to halt the US sale of the kits but has been complicated by the fact that the distributing web sites are based in Canada. Exact figures on how many of the kits were sold is not readily available.

5 Great Reasons to Get an HIV Test

If you have purchased one of the tests in question, contact the website where it was purchased. There is no guarentee you will get your money back but you can ask. If you would like an HIV test, contact the CDC or your local health department for a reliable testing site near you.

Find a Testing Location Near You