From July 2015, it will be possible to know in a few minutes if you are a carrier of the AIDS virus. Self-tests will be sold in pharmacies in order to accelerate and improve the detection of the disease.
This device responds to a desire of the Minister of Health Marisol Touraine, wishing to reduce the number of contaminations (3,200 new cases each year).
On World HIV Day, Marisol Touraine announced that these simple individual tests, which consist of taking a drop of blood, will be made available to associations fighting against AIDS. Stated objective: to strengthen targeted screening actions aimed at the most exposed people.
The tests should be accessible at a lower price than pregnancy tests (between 6 and 20 euros). The test can be carried out 7 to 11 days after the supposed contaminating report, knowing that the peak of appearance of antibodies occurs after three weeks.
“It’s a reliable and easy-to-read test,” said Gilles Pialoux, head of the infectious diseases department at Tenon hospital in Paris.
An additional screening tool
These self-tests will constitute one more tool in the panoply of available devices. “[Ces tests] complete the arsenal available to meet specific needs. Users of these tests will be supported in their approach, in particular with an available telephone platform”, explains the ministry in a press release.
In France, 150,000 people are living with HIV and nearly 30,000 people are still unaware of their HIV status.
In addition to the availability of self-tests in pharmacies, the Minister also plans to strengthen community screening by rapid diagnostic orientation tests (TROD). An awareness campaign on the importance of wearing condoms to protect against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections will also be relaunched. In the sights of the government, the younger generations, who do not feel concerned. One in three students do not always wear a condomaccording to a Harris Interactive survey.
Do you find that the sale of self-tests in pharmacies is a good measure? say it on the forum.
>> To read also: World AIDS Day
