HIV Home Tests

In recent time there are lots of options to be tested whether you are infected with HIV or not. Now you can test yourself at home because home tests for HIV kits are available. Nevertheless these home testing is not for everyone. The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved HIV home tests are as exact or accurate as the antibody tests that are done in health departments and doctors. They use the same ELISA/Western Blot/IFA tests. However there are certain differences among these home kits. Some companies are selling their kits though they are not approved by FDA. As well as the accuracy of these kits is unknown. On the other hand the FDA approved home tests are more than 99% accurate after six months of possible disclosure to the virus.

Let us see the information regarding some of HIV home tests

The FDA approved tests are available at the clinics, with the doctors, and at public health clinics. The FDA approved home collection kit can be helpful as you can collect the sample of blood and can send it to the laboratory for analysis. The "Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System is approved by FDA and it is sold legally in United States.

How do home tests work?

HIV tests work by permitting a person who wants to be test for HIV at home. In this process an individual has to prick his/her finger and draw a bit of blood. After that it has to place on a testing strip. This strip then shows a graphic image that is generally a stripe or a colored dot. It determines that whether the individual is positive. However these tests are subject to errors, but show easily that whether the individual is positive or not.

Are HIV tests reliable?

The reliability of these tests depends on whether or not the science behind the HIV home test is authenticated or not . However in most of the instances the non approved home kits are not found reliable or accurate in spite of their claims.

How to select the right test?When you think that which home tests kit would be reliable or more accurate, it is always better to buy the kit that has undergone the hard science performed on it to identify that how accurate and reliable the present kit is. However it is also important to see whether it is approved by FDA or not. Moreover you can go through the reviews of these kits by the customers, doctors, and other licensed professionals.

Advantages and disadvantages of these tests

Advantages

An individual who is scared and does not want to be seen in clinic can do the test easily without being revealed anywhere. It would be comfortable for that individual for doing so. Second thing is that the FDA-approved tests are as accurate as antibody tests. Moreover antibody tests are used in clinics around the country.

Disadvantages

Home testing is expensive compare to the local health department. In some local health departments it is free of cost.

We expect that furnished information regarding HIV home test would be useful for you for purchasing the home kits.