The first home testing kit for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has gone on sale in the United Kingdom, allowing users to determine — in just 15 minutes — whether or not they have been exposed to the virus.
The BioSure HIV Self Test is the first where people can perform the test themselves, rather than sending a sample off to a laboratory for analysis. The test is capable of identifying antibodies associated with HIV in a small sample of blood.
"BioSure HIV Self Test is over 99.7% accurate and allows you to discreetly determine your HIV status at a time and a place that is convenient for you. The test is extremely easy to perform, requires only a tiny drop of blood, and gives a clear and simple to read result in just 15 minutes," BioSure wrote on the product website.
Officials in the U.K. government estimate that roughly 26,000 people in England, Scotland and Wales carry the virus without knowing they are infected. Developers hope the test will assist more people with testing, which can lead to earlier treatment and improved prognosis. The product sells online for slightly over $45. The company also sells a subscription service, delivering one test every three months, to people who desire regular testing.
BioSure claims the product is 99.7 percent accurate, similar to levels of accuracy seen in home pregnancy tests. The product displays a pair of lines if HIV antibodies are detected in the blood sample. The test is effective in subjects exposed to the virus more than three months before testing takes place. The one-use disposable test is not effective in detecting infections less than 90 days old.
Makers remind users that any positive reading from the test will still need to be confirmed at a professional health center.
Home HIV tests were legalized in the U.K. a year before the test came to market. The National Health Service (NHS) offers free HIV testing throughout the United Kingdom.
"We campaigned for a long time to secure the legalization of HIV self-test kits which happened in April 2014, so it is great to see the first self-test kits being approved. However, it is important to make sure people can get quick access to support when they get their result," Rosemary Gillespie, chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, a charity aimed at supporting those with HIV, stated.
Developers hope that this home test for HIV will provide those people who do not want to travel to health clinics with an opportunity to learn their HIV status.
