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The US Food and Drug
Administration’s July 3rd approval of an at-home HIV test kit is being lauded
by HIV advocates in Britain and beyond.
"We are absolutely delighted at
the announcement. It marks a real sea change," said Lisa Power of the
Terrance Higgins Trust. The test, which should become available to US consumers
through 30,000 retail outlets, offers an important way for Americans to learn
their HIV status in a private setting, said Dr. Mariangela Simao of UNAIDS, who
hopes home-testing could become available in developing countries. "Any
means that can ensure people have access and opportunities to be tested and
that are not mandatory should be encouraged," said Simao.
But in Britain, a change in the law
would be needed for at-home HIV tests, which were made illegal in the early
days of the epidemic to prevent employers from testing their employees. Last
September, a House of Lords select committee on AIDS recommended the law's repeal
— a call echoed by the National AIDS Trust (NAT).
"We need to work out a way of
integrating this new and exciting technology effectively and safely into our
testing strategies so that people with HIV are diagnosed as early as possible
and can live long and healthy lives," said Deborah Jack, NAT’s chief
executive. "It will be far better for the government to legalize and
ensure the quality of such kits and that proper information, advice and support
are available alongside their use, than for people to access such unlicensed
testing kits via the Internet."
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
