June 2, 2006

Home Testing: A Response

In response to Gary Pollock's "An Argument Against Home Testing," I think it's important to point out that 85% of people who know their status do not pass the virus on to others. Given the fact that 25% of the people who are infected don't know it, I would argue that home testing makes sense.

That being said, there are other problems with home testing. I actually ran into an individual who was using rapid testing as a way to find HIV negative sex partners for unprotected anal sex. He didn't realize that rapid testing checks for antibodies. Since it can take three months for antibodies to form, it's possible to test HIV negative when in fact you are HIV positive. That type of behavior worries me.

Chad M.

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