Time to move towards opt-out testing for HIV in the UK

doi:10.1136/bmj.39218.404201.94

BMJ 2007;334:1352-1354 (30 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39218.404201.94

Analysis

Time to move towards opt-out testing for HIV in the UK

M Hamill, specialist registrar¹, K Burgoine, medical student², F Farrell, medical student², J Hemelaar, medical student², G Patel, medical student², D E Welchew, medical student², H W Jaffe, professor³

¹ Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Mortimer Market Centre, Camden Primary Care Trust, London, ² University of Oxford Clinical School, Oxford, ³ Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF

Correspondence to: H W Jaffe, Harold.jaffe@dphpc.ox.ac.uk

M Hamill and colleagues believe the UK could do more to ensurepeople know their HIV status

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The diagnosis of HIV infection is the point of entry to preventionand treatment services. Yet many people are unaware that theyare infected. The estimated proportion of people who remainundiagnosed ranges from 90% in sub-Saharan Africa, to one thirdin the United Kingdom, and a quarter in the United States.¹² ³ The Secretary General of the United Nations declared in2006 that "Countries should promote, through global and nationalcampaigns, the ideal that each person knows his or her HIV statusand has access to AIDS information, counselling and relatedservices, in a social and legal environment that is supportiveand safe for confidential testing and voluntary disclosure ofHIV status."⁴ We consider how the UK should respond to thischallenge.

HIV tests are usually done as part of diagnosis—in patientswith signs or symptoms suggestive of HIV disease— or toscreen for infection in people without symptoms. Most . . . [Full text of this article]

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