A Bethlehem-based diagnostic test maker has received a contract to provide free HIV tests as part of a new initiative. WDIY’s Sarit Laschinsky has more.
OraSure Technologies announced this week that it has been selected to provide HIV self-tests as part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program.
The program will be managed by Emory University and is called “Together TakeMeHome.” It intends to supply tests to communities that are disproportionately affected by HIV, and less likely to have access to prevention services.
According to a release, under the new effort the CDC will provide $41.5 million over a five-year period to support community testing, and OraSure will provide up to one million of its OraQuick In-Home HIV tests over that same time period.
The company said the new program helps address testing barriers including stigma, privacy concerns, cost, and lack of access.
The self-tests will be mailed in discreet packages to people who enroll through the program’s website. According to Emory University, Together TakeMeHome will begin distributing tests by early 2023.
Almost 1.2 million people aged 13 and older in the US have HIV, according to OraSure, including an estimated 158,500 who don’t know they have it.
OraSure’s OraQuick In-Home HIV Test can detect antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 with an oral swab, and can deliver results in as little as 20 minutes.
(Original air-date: 9/22/22)
