HIV self-tests: BMG and PEI start new internet information offer

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn: "The technical information on the new website of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut gives HIV self-testers an important orientation. And they help break down reservations against the tests. This is important. Because the earlier affected people know about HIV infection, the sooner their treatment can begin. And anyone who is unsure whether an infection is existent wants to quickly know. We want to support people who want to volunteer for HIV testing. The free selling of HIV self-tests is thus another building block in the fight against HIV and AIDS."

"The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut has decades of experience in evaluating tests to detect pathogens such as HIV, especially in terms of sensitivity and specificity, the assurance that they will not get false positives. It is therefore very important to us to contribute our expertise when people get the opportunity to test themselves," says Professor Klaus Cichutek, President of the PEI.

Background

On 21 September 2018, the German Federal Council (Deutscher Bundesrat) decided to freely sell HIV self-tests. This lowers the threshold to be tested for HIV. Even people who have previously shied away from a test at the doctor and have not been tested at all or only irregularly, can now be reached. HIV self-tests offer the opportunity to detect HIV infection, get treatment, and prevent the transmission of the infection.

HIV infections often go undetected for many years due to the long absence of symptoms. But shame or fear of a positive diagnosis should not prevent a person from gaining assurance through a test. Thanks to the treatment options available in the meantime, the virus in the body is pushed back so strongly that affected people in Germany have a similarly high life expectancy compared to healthy people.

Thanks to the successful prevention work and the enormous progress and expansion of medical care in the last 30 years, Germany is already one of the countries with the lowest HIV infection rates in Europe. But even if the disease is less visible to the public, efforts should not be relieved. This requires many measures, especially education and information. Being able to do a test on your own can make a significant contribution to this.

Further information at:

www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
www.pei.de/hiv-self-tests

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