Over-the-counter HIV test approved in US
First ever kit to test for HIV at home approved for use in the US starting in the autumn.
Published On 4 Jul 2012
The first ever over-the-counter home testing kit for HIV has been approved for use in the United States.
The kit is already being used by health professionals in the the country at a cost of $17.50.
According to the manufacturer, the over-the-counter version, which will be released in October, could cost as much as $60.
The company behind the kit says making the test easier for people to be checked for the virus could help lower the rate at which AIDS is spread.
The test has an accuracy rate of 92 per cent, which means one in twelve people will get the wrong result.
Al Jazeera’s Erica Wood reports.
Source: Al Jazeera