FDA approves an over the counter OraQuick HIV test tool

An over the counter HIV test equipment can significantly bring down the count of HIV transmissions every year. The U.S. citizens are lucky enough to get such a tool, dubbed the OraQuick from a Bethlehem-based firm OraSure Technologies. An expert panel of the 17 members of the Food and Drug Administration has unanimously approved the tool for home-based HIV testing in the U.S.

FDA approves an over the counter OraQuick HIV test tool

The take-home OraQuick HIV test equipment is actually nothing but a simple mouth swab. It can bring results in mere 20 minutes. Users can test their HIV status without the help of any medical professional at the comfort of their home. Certainly, it is the biggest advantage of OraQuick. However, the tool is not as accurate as any professionally-administered diagnostic method. Yet, it can do a great thing in letting common people test HIV infection with 93 percent accuracy.

In fact, when used by professionals, the technology can identify HIV carriers with an accuracy of 99 percent. But OraSure says that home-based tests by common people can detect HIV virus with an accuracy of only 93 percent. According to the FDA experts, the imperfection of the test may skip nearly 3,800 HIV infected people every year. However, it can easily identify 45,000 of patients.

If the U.S. citizens largely buy the device, the HIV test using OraQuick can prevent 4,000 new virus transmissions per year, FDA thinks. But it is highly attached with the number of people who buy the tool for the purpose. Indeed, the equipment will be a blessing for people like gay and bisexual men and all others to occasionally test their HIV status.

Via: Gizmodo