Expanding the Availability and Acceptance of Voluntary HIV Testing: Fundamental Principles to Guide Implementation, June 2007, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Categories

• Testing
• Treatment

Resource Type

Letters/Other Advocacy Documents  

Description

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV when they seek health care. In response to CDCs push for expanded rapid testing with decreased attention on counseling and informed consent, a group of HIV legal, medical and service organizations came together to endorse a set of fundamental principles to guide the implementation of expanded voluntary testing for HIV. The fundamental elementsthat HIV testing must always be informed, voluntary, confidential, and supported by health care and other services, and that it is always most effective when offered by someone trusted and trustworthyapply to all persons. The 15 guidelines include: People living with undiagnosed HIV infection must be reached and offered testing. Any HIV testing program must provide the highest standard of care. Everyone offered testing must be educated about HIV and the significance of positive and negative test results. People who test positive for HIV antibodies must be linked to care. Expanded HIV testing must be carefully planned, implemented and monitored. People with HIV/AIDS and other stakeholders must be included in formulating plans for expanded testing. Patients human rights and informed consent are consistent with, and not opposed to, the goal of expanded HIV testing. Expanded HIV testing must be tailored to different clinical settings, populations, and patient needs. Clinicians, medical directors and other providers must receive training and education in delivering high-quality testing programs. Clinicians, medical directors and other providers must receive training and education in making appropriate service referrals and linkages to care. Community-based HIV prevention interventions must be expanded in tandem with efforts to expand voluntary HIV testing in healthcare settings. Special attention must be paid to the prevention and care needs of at-risk populations. Expanded testing and the provision of care to all existing and new HIV cases require new and adequate funding. Testing protocols must address insurance issues. Efforts to assist those with undiagnosed and untreated or unmonitored HIV infection must be evaluated. The primary authors of the Principles are the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, The Center for HIV Law and Policy, and Lambda Legal.

 

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Published

2007-October-03