How Accurate is Rapid HIV Testing?

Oraquick Advance Rapid Antibody Test

With an estimated 1 in Americans infected with the HIV virus and not knowing about it, testing that provides a fast and cheap way to detect the virus is important to the sexual health community.  Rapid results are a great thing but not when it can give you false positives.  Imagine you get a test and it comes but positive, yet you do not have the virus.  In many cities this has happened to people like you.



One such test the OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test has produced higher than expected false positive results.  This has lead the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to suspend use of the test in its STD clinics.  Although, the OraQuick finger prick test is still in use.

The increase in false positives from rapid HIV testing is being investigated by the CDC.  Areas that have experienced an increase in false positive results and have a large number of patients will be evaluated by the CDC.