AWARENESS

FDA Approves At-Home HIV Test

So more people can find out if they're infected.

In a few months, Americans will be able to purchase an HIV test over the counter at their local pharmacy for under $60 and find out if they have the potentially life-threatening virus in 20 to 40 minutes. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the at-home HIV test, which uses saliva from a mouth swab to determine whether someone is HIV-positive. As many as 30,000 pharmacies and other stores are expected to carry the test and it will be available online as well. The U.S. government estimates that 1.2 million Americans are HIV-positive but 20 percent of them don't know. The at-home test is aimed at creating more awareness and helping those who might not have access to doctors find out whether they've been infected.