Damaged has been approached by a company offering HIV self-testing kits you can use at home. We must admit we weren't too keen on the idea but we spoke with several people "in the business" who said that ideally we should all go to a clinic where you can get proper support and counselling. Sadly, not everybody can or will and as it's best to do something than nothing, the kits are a solution. So, we thought we'd counsel your views and see what the reaction was - let us know what you think about us advertising these kits on the site. Here's the advice we've been given from the experts:
1. Best use a clinic.
2. If you don't and test positive, get professional advice as soon as possible. You can't avoid it any more.
3. Whatever your status, it's best to talk it through anyway.
You can get advice here:
List of clinics for testing and advice: www.gmfa.org.uk/londonservices/clinics
If you test negative: www.gmfa.org.uk/staynegative
HIV resource centre: http://www.thebody.com
30 Sept 09
GMFA have pointed out that Canadian health authorities have advised Canadians not to use these tests because they are "unlicensed medical devices and may provide false test results." (Read full article here.)
The reseller, clean testing, admit the devices are unlicensed but say they are ISO approved, WHO sanctioned and highly accurate. Here's what they said:
"The test are ISO (International Standards Organization) approved and sanctioned by the WHO (World Health Organization.) In fact, the tests were originally designed in co-operation with the WHO. Essentially the WHO needed an easy to use and extremely accurate test for rapid testing millions of people in Africa and Asia. The accuracy rate is more than 99.98% and detect both HIV 1 and 2 antibodies. These tests are not FDA or NHS approved as neither body currently allow rapid home tests that are anonymous."
26 Oct 09
Discodamaged tested the kits. They seem to work. Read the full story here.
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