HIV At-Home Test Kits: Get Answers with Anonymity

For some people, going to the doctor in their hometown is just not an option, whether it is because they live in a small community where everyone knows everyone else or simply the fact that they would rather not have to discuss this sensitive topic with their doctor.

There are now choices available that allow a person to test themselves in the privacy of their home. If you run a search on the internet for HIV test kit you may be surprised with the results that pop up; Let's take a look at a few of them and find out how they work.

One Step HIV Test
One Step HIV test offers a home test that appears to work very much like a home pregnancy test. The website claims that the test is 98% accurate in detecting both type-1 and type-2 infections. Prick your finger, place a drop of blood in the well of the test, add two drops of developer and wait exactly 15 minutes. Cost is $20 plus $3.95 shipping. Sound like a good way to test yourself? Maybe, except that this test is not FDA approved and cannot legally be sold in the U.S.

HIV Test BBK
The next site I came across was very interesting. For $25, HIV Test BBK will ship a kit anywhere in the world. This site screams fraud with it lack of information. You are presented with a one-page web site that gives a phone number; an email address states that PayPal is accepted. I think it's safe to say that this method is not legal.

All Tests Online
This site offers a HIV urine test for $55.00 as well as an early detection test (less than 90 days since exposure) for $219, price includes return shipping label. Results are available free by fax or email, a hardcopy is an additional $25.00. Other than stating that the test can be done at home or at one of their patient centers there is no information as to how the actual test works. The website does state that the FDA recognizes their partner laboratories, without giving any facts about whether the test itself is FDA approved.

Any Test Kits
On this website you will not find a FAQ section, nor will you find any information addressing FDA approval of their HIV home test kit. The price of the kit is $10 and it ships in a plain brown envelope. Again, you have a test that looks very much like a home pregnancy kit. The website says that the kit will test for both type-1 and type-2 of the human immunodeficiency virus.

The FDA in the United States approves none of the kits above for use or sale. There are many websites claiming to sell FDA approved products, however to date only two test kits have been approved.

Home Access
The HIV-1 Test System and the Express HIV-1 Test System are both available over the counter at many drug stores, via the internet or through direct telephone sales. Both tests utilize a lancet to collect a small sample of blood, which is then shipped back to the lab. The standard test, $44 offers results in seven days. The express test offers results one business day after shipping the sample to the lab. Both kits are shipped in either a plain brown package or a U.S. Postal priority box. Consumers are issued an anonymous 11-digit number, which is used to retrieve the test results.

Orasure
This test is a complete do-it-yourself kit. Orasure tests for both HIV type-1 and type-2 by drawing HIV antibodies out of the cheek and gum area rather than using a blood sample. Test takes twenty minutes before results can be read.

A few thoughts to keep in mind concerning HIV testing; It is possible for a test to give a false positive OR a false negative result. A false negative result can lull a person into a false sense of security and delay needed treatment. There is a window of time, generally two to twelve weeks but sometimes up to six months, between being exposed to HIV and the ability to detect the antibody to HIV in your system. If testing occurs during this period it is important to retest at a later time.