It's a scary fact, but it's true: new cases of HIV pop up every day around the globe, and if you believe you have been exposed, it's important to get tested. In the past, HIV testing was done either at a doctor's office or through a mail-in home kit, which, though accurate, did not provide the immediate answer that people long for in these situations. Now, a new company has created an HIV test that can be done completely at home while providing the immediate results people want, and it could help people get diagnosed earlier than ever.
According to AOL, the U.K. based company BioSURE has created a brand-new HIV test that plans to make diagnosis as easy as possible. The test is 99.7% effective and comes with a booklet, so that you can understand your results as you do the test. The test asks you to prick a finger, draw a small amount of blood, and place it in a testing tube that will then give you a result after 15 minutes. One thing to keep in mind is that you can only take the test three months after you have been exposed to HIV - if it is earlier, you likely won't produce the antibodies needed for the test to provide an accurate result.
As with any home test, it's the first step you should take before going to see a physician, and it shouldn't be replaced with a doctor's care. This test could be a major breakthrough in HIV diagnosis, as according to the CDC, 13% of HIV-positive individuals in the United States are unaware of their status. It's always scary to take a test that could provide life-changing results, but in the case of ones health, knowledge is power. Early diagnosis of HIV could help save people's lives.