Home HIV test kit goes on sale - good or bad idea?

gregrichardsgregrichards Posts: 4,913
Forum Member
✭✭✭
"The first legally approved HIV self-test kit that allows people to get a result in 15 minutes at home has gone on sale in England, Scotland and Wales.

Unlike other kits, these tests do not need to be sent off to a lab to get the results.

It works by detecting antibodies on a small drop of blood, which are often only detectable three months after the infection is caught.

Experts warn that any positive tests must be reconfirmed at clinics."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32453192

A home HIV test kit has gone on sale where you can test your blood and find out if you have HIV or not at home. I don't think this is good idea. Imagine being home alone and finding out you have HIV. Surely it is better to get results like this in a clinic with support and information available instead of being at home and possibly distraught?

Comments

  • Plucky_OctopusPlucky_Octopus Posts: 736
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I think it's a good idea. Imagine you were raped or other such horror, or unprotected sex, don't have the courage to tell anyone. Means you can test your health without the stigma of being tested. Rather than being afraid to get tested and putting yourself and others at risk.
  • muggins14muggins14 Posts: 61,844
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I think it's a good idea. Imagine you were raped or other such horror, or unprotected sex, don't have the courage to tell anyone. Means you can test your health without the stigma of being tested. Rather than being afraid to get tested and putting yourself and others at risk.
    Well, the 3-month window between something happening (such as rape or unprotected sex as you mention in your post) still exists, so you could think you're negative if you test too soon, when in fact you are positive.

    Buying a test in a rush and feeling relieved at a false negative is not going to benefit anybody.

    I guess there are positives and negatives to being able to test privately, only time will tell. Facing up to the possibility of being HIV positive and having the nerve to send off for and wait for a test to arrive cannot be a pleasant way of passing the time. It would seem to me that if anybody were going to go through all that, why not invest more in encouraging people to attend a clinic and have the test done properly.

    It all seems a bit off-hand to me.
  • VulpesVulpes Posts: 1,504
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    muggins14 wrote: »
    Well, the 3-month window between something happening (such as rape or unprotected sex as you mention in your post) still exists, so you could think you're negative if you test too soon, when in fact you are positive.

    Buying a test in a rush and feeling relieved at a false negative is not going to benefit anybody.

    I guess there are positives and negatives to being able to test privately, only time will tell. Facing up to the possibility of being HIV positive and having the nerve to send off for and wait for a test to arrive cannot be a pleasant way of passing the time. It would seem to me that if anybody were going to go through all that, why not invest more in encouraging people to attend a clinic and have the test done properly.

    It all seems a bit off-hand to me.

    You can encourage 'til the cows come home but there will always be some folk who would never be seen dead in a sexual health clinic unless they absolutely had to be there. By then perhaps it's too late.

    Also, personally, I'd rather have the possibility of bad news delivered to me in the comfort of my own home.
  • muggins14muggins14 Posts: 61,844
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Vulpes wrote: »
    You can encourage 'til the cows come home but there will always be some folk who would never be seen dead in a sexual health clinic unless they absolutely had to be there. By then perhaps it's too late.

    Also, personally, I'd rather have the possibility of bad news delivered to me in the comfort of my own home.
    I feel the same way, hence my being torn :) I imagine there are pluses and minuses to everything, although it's a definite plus that perhaps more people will choose to get tested, if enough people know about this of course. It remains to be seen whether it will be a success, I do hope so. It's not a death sentence anymore so early detection can only be a good thing.
  • Bex_123Bex_123 Posts: 10,783
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I agree there are definitely positives and negatives to this. On the one hand it might make people have a test who otherwise wouldn't even consider having one because they don't want to go to a clinic but on the other hand it may make people test too soon, unaware of the window period, and falsely believe themselves to be negative.

    Time will tell, but anything that makes people get themselves tested will probably be a good thing.
  • Sky_GuySky_Guy Posts: 6,859
    Forum Member
    It will make it easier for people to get the test, and should save lives.
  • VulpesVulpes Posts: 1,504
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    muggins14 wrote: »
    I feel the same way, hence my being torn :) I imagine there are pluses and minuses to everything, although it's a definite plus that perhaps more people will choose to get tested, if enough people know about this of course. It remains to be seen whether it will be a success, I do hope so. It's not a death sentence anymore so early detection can only be a good thing.

    Indeed :). You made a very good point about the time-frame issue. You can certainly imagine some unknowingly testing too early in a panic.
  • muggins14muggins14 Posts: 61,844
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Vulpes wrote: »
    Indeed :). You made a very good point about the time-frame issue. You can certainly imagine some unknowingly testing too early in a panic.
    Yes indeed, to be in that position of deciding to get tested, I know my mind would be in a hell of a state.
  • Miss XYZMiss XYZ Posts: 14,023
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Vulpes wrote: »
    You can encourage 'til the cows come home but there will always be some folk who would never be seen dead in a sexual health clinic unless they absolutely had to be there. By then perhaps it's too late.

    Also, personally, I'd rather have the possibility of bad news delivered to me in the comfort of my own home.

    You don't have to go to a sexual health clinic to have a HIV test. You can have one done at your GP surgery, but if you have it done there it obviously stays on your record, unlike if you have the test done at a sexual health clinic. I had a HIV test a few years ago - I went to my GP surgery and requested one. Had the blood taken, and the GP rang me a few days later and told me it was negative. It was about a week before Christmas and she said she'd phoned me to let me know so I could forget about it and enjoy Christmas. Obviously it's on my record but I have no problem with that at all.
  • EuanMebabeEuanMebabe Posts: 1,188
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Someone mentioned the stigma of going for an HIV test. Dare I suggest that that stigma is in your own mind? Times have changed for the better. Sexual health clinics are cheerful places these days and the staff are very welcoming and friendly. My own also runs family planning clinics at the same time, so nobody in the waiting room will know why you're there. I think that's a great idea.
  • muggins14muggins14 Posts: 61,844
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    EuanMebabe wrote: »
    Someone mentioned the stigma of going for an HIV test. Dare I suggest that that stigma is in your own mind? Times have changed for the better. Sexual health clinics are cheerful places these days and the staff are very welcoming and friendly. My own also runs family planning clinics at the same time, so nobody in the waiting room will know why you're there. I think that's a great idea.
    I was just thinking about that, there stigma isn't there that there used to be when HIV first came to light, thank heaven.

    Although I'm sure - although I may be wrong - that I saw a report on something (the news?) recently about the fact that people being able to live with HIV now (it not being a death sentence any longer) and the lack of stigma being one of the contributing factors in the decrease in people getting themselves tested and the potential increase in cases due to lack of care of concern related to that. That it's 'just another STD' essentially.

    Thinking about that, I would say that a home testing kit can't be a bad thing if it does lead to more people being diagnosed, and diagnosed early.

    It doesn't say in the article, are these kits free?
  • Seamus SweeneySeamus Sweeney Posts: 3,997
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Home HIV test kit goes on sale - good or bad idea?

    I know nothing about HIV..but surely it could only be a good idea ?? Earlier detection, better the chances ?

    Or is that not how it works ?

    Useless reply..Just questions to a question posed :blush:
  • dd68dd68 Posts: 17,833
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    As a health care professional I am concerned about the lack of counselling prior to taking it
  • Plucky_OctopusPlucky_Octopus Posts: 736
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    muggins14 wrote: »
    Well, the 3-month window between something happening (such as rape or unprotected sex as you mention in your post) still exists, so you could think you're negative if you test too soon, when in fact you are positive.

    Buying a test in a rush and feeling relieved at a false negative is not going to benefit anybody.

    I guess there are positives and negatives to being able to test privately, only time will tell. Facing up to the possibility of being HIV positive and having the nerve to send off for and wait for a test to arrive cannot be a pleasant way of passing the time. It would seem to me that if anybody were going to go through all that, why not invest more in encouraging people to attend a clinic and have the test done properly.

    It all seems a bit off-hand to me.

    Not doubting the 3 month window, is a tricky one but if you're willing to buy the test in the first instance, and hopefully there are instructions telling you that you'll need another 3 months if taken too soon then people will be willing to buy it again.
  • Plucky_OctopusPlucky_Octopus Posts: 736
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    EuanMebabe wrote: »
    Someone mentioned the stigma of going for an HIV test. Dare I suggest that that stigma is in your own mind? Times have changed for the better. Sexual health clinics are cheerful places these days and the staff are very welcoming and friendly. My own also runs family planning clinics at the same time, so nobody in the waiting room will know why you're there. I think that's a great idea.

    The stigma was me, and I don't have that view as I've had an HIV test, when I mentioned it I got asked oh god why. So it still exists, just thankfully nowhere near the level it used to be.
  • CroctacusCroctacus Posts: 18,216
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I listened to a chat about this on the radio yesterday morning and the stats are that something like 20-25% of people with HIV are unaware of it. Anything that changes that can only be good.

    The price of the test is reasonable enough at £30 that people will be able to afford to retest.
  • shaddlershaddler Posts: 11,574
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Bex_123 wrote: »
    I agree there are definitely positives and negatives to this.

    :D:D:D
  • DaisyBillDaisyBill Posts: 4,339
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I think it's a good idea. You can already test your BP, blood glucose level, cholesterol levels at home. Why not take responsibility for monitoring your own health? I would expect more home testing kits for health to become available in the future as well.
  • DaisyBillDaisyBill Posts: 4,339
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    dd68 wrote: »
    As a health care professional I am concerned about the lack of counselling prior to taking it

    I don't think everyone feels the need for counselling though. Some people just want to be aware of whats happening with their own health without involving professionals at the initial stage.
    It should never replace the full professional service of course, and counselling should always be available for those who want it or need it.
  • What name??What name?? Posts: 26,623
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Surely it is better to get results like this in a clinic with support and information available instead of being at home and possibly distraught?

    It's really up to the person. Some people may prefer to assimilate the news themselves so it may encourage more people to find out their status.
  • MC_SatanMC_Satan Posts: 26,512
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Personally I don't think it's a great idea. It's a pretty big diagnosis and there should be support and counselling available.
  • What name??What name?? Posts: 26,623
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I think it's a good idea. Imagine you were raped or other such horror, or unprotected sex, don't have the courage to tell anyone. Means you can test your health without the stigma of being tested. Rather than being afraid to get tested and putting yourself and others at risk.

    If you are raped you should take preventative measures rather than wait to see if you catch something! You should definitely see a doctor in the event of rape.
  • Galaxy266Galaxy266 Posts: 7,049
    Forum Member
    Imagine using one of these kits at home yourself on your own and the test going wrong and giving a positive result when, in actual fact, you are negative! I don't know anything about the chemistry of how the test works so I don't know what could happen to make the test give a positive untrue result, but I can't believe it's impossible for this to happen.

    People could end up killing themselves. I think it's worrying.
  • himerushimerus Posts: 3,040
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    It seems to be of very limited value.
  • jesayajesaya Posts: 35,597
    Forum Member
    I agree with these kits - there are estimated to be thousands of people who have HIV but are not aware of it, and these kits might encouraged some of them to get tested. Good for them, because HIV is treatable and good for their past and future partners.
Sign In or Register to comment.