About AIDS

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning that some of the at-home HIV test kits being sold on the Internet may give a false negative result. The FTC bought test kits from suspect sources, and they failed to test positive on known HIV-infected samples. If HIV-positive people used such a kit, they would think incorrectly that they were not infected, potentially leading to further risk behavior dangerous to others, plus failure to get medical help as early as possible.

The FTC refused to name the sources or products yet, but beware of one typical claim made in their Web Site advertising: that their products are approved by the World Health Organization or the FDA. The W.H.O. does not approve test products, period. The FDA has approved only one test kit, Home Access Corp's Express HIV Test (through www.homeaccess.com). Correctly used, the Home Access test is capable of giving a completely valid result.

There is a growing problem of bogus products sold illegally on the Net, and the owner of one such company has already been sent to prison.

Sunday was National HIV Testing Day, so we hope that there is a heightened awareness about getting an HIV-antibody test. Of course, in Austin the better -- and cheap/free! -- option is to contact the Austin-Travis County Health Department's HIV testing unit at 708-3500. They offer testing at numerous sites all over town. Their service is accurate, they provide counseling, and the test can be just as anonymous as any home kit. And you don't have to draw your own blood either! Give 'em a call.

-- Sandy Bartlett, Community Information/Education Coordinator
AIDS Services of Austin

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ASA Info Line: 458-AIDS, E-mail:[email protected]