- -One in five people in US do not know they are infected with HIV.
- -The test for the self-diagnosis of the human immunodeficiency virus, related to AIDS, can already be bought in pharmacies.
The Government announced this morning that the test for HIV self-diagnosis can now be acquired in Spanish pharmacies without the need for a medical prescription. Its commercialization comes after the Council of Ministers approved Royal Decree 1083/2017, of December 29 , which eliminated the need for prescription of a doctor to acquire this type of test. The standard also authorized the advertising of self-diagnostic products for HIV detection , as it does with pregnancy and fertility tests.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, in Spain live between 140,000 and 145,000 people with HIV , the human immunodeficiency virus whose infection can lead to acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS . However, it is estimated that almost one in five individuals are not diagnosed (18%), a problem that results in late detection of infection, slowing the effective response to the epidemic, decreasing the response to treatment and increasing mortality associated.
US, like other countries in our environment, has promoted the commercialization of HIV self-diagnosis tests, so that those interested can take the test at home after having bought it in pharmacy for an approximate price of 34.5 euros . According to the Ministry of Health in the Pharmaceutical Action Guide , the screening test consists of taking a blood or saliva sample without the help or intervention of health professionals. The results, which determine whether the individual has been infected by HIV-1 or HIV-2 , take about thirty minutes. It is not necessary to be fasting to perform the test, which can only be used by one person, but can be in an environment that is at 18-30ºC.
The sensitivity of the self-diagnosis test of HIV is greater than 99.5%, a percentage that refers to the probability that a person infected by the virus has a positive result; while the specificity is 99.9%, which is related to the probability that an individual with a negative result does not have the infection. In any case, the Ministry of Health clarifies that the fact of having a positive result does not mean that a person is infected with HIV , because in spite of being very sensitive tests, a positive result must be confirmed in a clinical laboratory by means of a second exam.
If the result of the test is negative, it means that the test has not detected antibodies against HIV . In the event that the interested party has not maintained a risk behavior during the last three months, he would not be infected by the virus. Conversely, if there have been situations of risk, such as having sex without a condom or sharing stitches without sterilization, it is important to repeat the test after three months. This timeframe is due to the so-called window period , during which a person who could have been infected has not yet produced the antibodies against the virus, the proteins that the test detects. Even with negative results in the test, it is necessary to remember the need to use protective measures such as condoms to prevent the transmission of diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis and to avoid unwanted pregnancies.