Instant HIV tests at Superdrug
posted: 04/03/2010
Superdrug have started selling the £79 InstiTest, which gives a HIV result in just 60 seconds from a tiny fingertip blood sample. Nurses will offer the confidential HIV test in their Piccadilly central Manchester store and at other stores in Brighton, Edinburgh, Croydon, Cardiff, and Newcastle. Trials show InstiTest is 99.96 per cent accurate.
People who get a positive test result are referred to an NHS clinic for the result to be double checked and so people get to see a HIV specialist quickly. They will even make the appointment for people.
Before the test the nurse and patient discuss the process and the nurse will obtain full consent for the test. The registered nurses have had training in the use of the HIV test kit and on patient assessment, and experience in counselling in sexual health. All testing is confidential – no identification is required just to take the test and get a verbal result, though they will ask for your name and birth date. If you want a written note of the result then identity will be checked with photo ID.
Most HIV tests are free and provided at NHS sexual health clinics or in some community settings, for instance LGF run a testing service for gay and bisexual men in Manchester’s gay village. You can also ask your GP for a free HIV test. Offering HIV tests for payment in city-centre pharmacies is something new in this country.
The NAT (National Aids Trust) welcomed the new service move, saying: "If someone gets diagnosed early they can live a long, active life with HIV. But if they delay, they can become very ill and put their partners at risk too."
Superdrug, Piccadilly, Manchester 7-9 Piccadilly, opposite Piccadilly Gardens, in central Manchester, M1 1LY 0161 834 6091
The nurse / doctor is normally available to carry out HIV tests between 09.00 and 18.00 on Monday - Fridays and between 09.00 and 15.00 on Saturdays.
George House Trust comment
We are keen that people have easy access to HIV testing – but you can always have a test for free at the STI clinic, at LGF and other community services, or through your GP. Decide if you want to spend almost £80 to find out you have HIV when that would then have to be checked at the STI clinic.
Illegal Home HIV Test Kits
HIV home testing kits that give instant results are also on sale to UK consumers online - which is banned by law, according to Which? magazine. The consumer magazine has reported four websites to the Department of Health, and they are now being investigated.
Which? bought test kits from Safescreen, Labpro, and Self Tests Direct. They also tried a fourth site called Mid Pacific Medical but that test hasn’t arrived yet.
Self Tests Direct said: ‘We had no idea we weren’t supposed to sell these kits in the UK.’ It has now removed these from sale on the web.
HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust told PinkPaper.com: "Because people can't buy home testing kits legally they're buying kits on the internet - and these aren't subject to any form of UK quality control. As well as that, they don't tell you where you can go for help to cope with your result, or provide information about safer sex. More worryingly, because they aren't made to UK standards the results might not be accurate. Home testing kits can be reliable and safe but the high standards that are essential for an accurate test can only be achieved through regulation - and that won't happen when they're illegal."
Sources illegal web sales Superdrug tests Superdrug press statement
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