Looks like a rapid result in-home HIV test will soon be available. Is this a goo

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   My2GreenBeansposted 11 years ago

   Looks like a rapid result in-home HIV test will soon be available. Is this a good or bad idea?
   
   An FDA panel of advisors recently unanimously voted to approve an in-home HIV test. The test uses an oral swab and produces results in 20 mins and has a consumer accuracy of about 93%. As with all HIV tests, it does not always detect infection within the first 3 mos of transmission. Much controversy has surrounded in-home tests for HIV.

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   Shelly McRaeposted 11 years ago

   As with any disease, early detection is key, and an in-home test would likely make earlier detection possible for many people. Not everyone has access to medical care and not everyone feels safe going to a physician or clinic and asking for an HIV test. I think a home test is a good thing, and may well save lives.
   
   On the negative side, reliance on a home test may result in some people either misreading the results or getting inaccurate results, and believe they are not infected. They may not seek help and infect others because they believe they are healthy.

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      My2GreenBeansposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      People have question both would people get a false positive then do something drastic like suicide or the reverse, get a false negative and then continue to spread the disease? I think more benefit than harm can come from home testing though.

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   web4utechposted 11 years ago

   It is good in the sense you can test within 20 minutes and at home, So totally private. But on other hand it is not accurate so if it give you + result then people are getting demoralize and sometime can be suicide, and if they get wrongly negative result then he/she happy although he/she have the virus.
   
   So better test from lab don't test from home.

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