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Maine HIV/AIDS prevention groups say
an HIV test recently approved for at-home use by the US Food and Drug
Administration could increase HIV testing, but also could leave some people
without access to crucial counseling.
The OraQuick oral test, which was
initially approved for use by trained technicians in 2004, will be available to
consumers via retail and online outlets by October. Researchers have found that
when administered by consumers, the test is accurate 92 percent of the time in
those infected, versus 99.98 percent in those who are not. Any positive test
requires a confirmatory test in a doctor’s office.
Patti Capouch, executive director of
the Portland-based Frannie Peabody Center, an HIV/AIDS organization, said the
new test likely will appeal to those reluctant to visit a clinic for testing.
Despite the benefits of home testing, however, Capouch is worried that those
testing positive will not be connected with a local doctor, as they are when
tested in clinics.
Of the roughly 1,500 Mainers living
with HIV/AIDS, it is estimated that several hundred do not know they are
infected, said Sean Weber, program manager at Eastern Maine AIDS Network. The
home test may be especially welcomed in rural parts of the state located far
from clinics.
OraSure Technologies plans to staff
a 24-hour hotline to help consumers and offer guidance. However, Capouch
cautioned, “Getting a positive result is really something you need a
professional to talk you through and help link you to medical care.”
Weber is also concerned about how
clear the test’s instructions are, and he worries that people may miss out on
HIV/AIDS education. “We talk to them about things like safer sex, abstaining,
not sharing drugs, all that stuff that puts them at a higher risk,” he said.
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!
