{"id":64319,"date":"2015-11-18T10:12:00","date_gmt":"2015-11-18T10:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=230de096269c53f4bbbe8c73906663af"},"modified":"2015-11-18T10:12:00","modified_gmt":"2015-11-18T10:12:00","slug":"press-release-free-hiv-home-sampling-launched-to-increase-hiv-testing-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=64319","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Free HIV home sampling launched to increase HIV testing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Public Health England (PHE<\/abbr>) has launched the first nationally available HIV<\/abbr> kit for testing those at higher-risk, alongside announcing new funding for innovative HIV<\/abbr> prevention projects.<\/p>\n

People at higher-risk of HIV<\/abbr> across the country can now order a HIV<\/abbr> home-sampling test kit online, and are being encouraged to take the simple finger prick blood sample for National HIV<\/abbr> Testing Week, which starts on 21 November 2015. Improved treatment for HIV<\/abbr> means those diagnosed early can have a life expectancy almost matching that of people who are HIV<\/abbr> free.<\/p>\n

Also released today, new PHE<\/abbr> figures<\/a> show an estimated 103,700 people in the UK were living with HIV<\/abbr> in 2014, with around 17% (18,100) unaware and at risk of unknowingly passing on the virus to others. Among men who have sex with men (MSM<\/abbr>), 6,500 remain unaware of their HIV<\/abbr> infection, as do a further 3,900 men and women from black African communities. <\/p>\n

In addition, there continues to be high levels of transmission in MSM<\/abbr> and 3,360 MSM<\/abbr> were newly diagnosed in 2014: the largest number ever recorded. Overall, 40% of people were diagnosed at a late stage of infection, undermining the benefits of effective therapy, and demonstrating the need for expanded testing.<\/p>\n

The benefits of testing leading to early treatment, reach beyond the individual person, having a wider public health benefit, reducing the risk of passing the virus on to other people. Well-tailored local initiatives also have a critical role to play.<\/p>\n

In addition to home-sampling, the government and PHE<\/abbr> today announces 7 successful HIV<\/abbr> innovation winners: to help turn the tide on high rates of new HIV<\/abbr> infection in England. The HIV<\/abbr> Innovation Fund is supporting creative prevention projects, including working with faith leaders, developing assessment tools and targeted HIV<\/abbr> testing initiatives. <\/p>\n

Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said:<\/p>\n

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We have made great strides in HIV<\/abbr> treatment, and those people speaking out about their condition are helping reduce the stigma around it. But until HIV<\/abbr> is a thing of the past, there is more to do and we need to be bold.<\/p>\n

I want today\u2019s launch of the first National HIV<\/abbr> Home Sampling service to encourage people at risk to find out their HIV<\/abbr> status, using our free kits, so they can get the best care for themselves and partners. Our Innovation Fund is also identifying new ideas to tackle the problem. I hope that all those at risk will take the opportunity to get tested and help us halve new HIV<\/abbr> infections by 2020.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at PHE<\/abbr> said:<\/p>\n

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Despite national rates of HIV<\/abbr> declining, it is still a growing problem within certain communities and levels of HIV<\/abbr> testing among high risk people remain too low. The HIV<\/abbr> home-sampling service and the HIV<\/abbr> Innovation Fund help boost the ongoing efforts to reduce HIV<\/abbr> infection in England.<\/p>\n

With National HIV<\/abbr> Testing Week approaching, I would encourage all those at higher-risk of HIV<\/abbr>, such as men who have sex with men or people from black African communities, to seriously consider testing, especially as they are now able to order a home-sampling kit free online.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, LGA Community Wellbeing spokesperson, said:<\/p>\n

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HIV<\/abbr> testing is key to prevention. Evidence shows that earlier diagnosis can not only benefit personal health, but has massive public health benefits too, while saving significant sums of money for the NHS and local services.<\/p>\n

Councils now have responsibility for public health and commissioning sexual health services. HIV<\/abbr> testing and outreach services are a part of this, whether in GP practices, sexual health clinics or in community settings.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Public Health England press office<\/h3>\n
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\n Email<\/span>
\n phe-pressoffice@phe.gov.uk<\/a>\n <\/p>\n

\n Telephone<\/span>
\n 020 7654 8400\n <\/p>\n

\n Out of hours telephone<\/span>
\n 020 8200 4400\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Background information<\/h3>\n
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  1. The National HIV<\/abbr> Prevention Innovation Fund and the HIV<\/abbr> Home-Sampling Service are funded by the allocation from the Department of Health to Public Health England for HIV<\/abbr> prevention and sexual health promotion.<\/li>\n
  2. The HIV<\/abbr> home-sampling project allows individuals to order a self-sampling kit, take their own sample in the privacy of their own home and return it to a laboratory for testing and results management. The national project runs from today, 18 November 2015, to 1 January 2016. From the 1 January, participating local authorities in England will continue to provide the service in their own communities, funded from their public health budget. Kits can be ordered from www.freetesting.hiv<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. The National HIV<\/abbr> Prevention Innovation Fund is funded by the allocation from the Department of Health to PHE<\/abbr> for HIV<\/abbr> prevention and sexual health promotion. Further information on the following 7 successful voluntary-led organisations and their projects, including quotes, is available through the PHE<\/abbr> press office:\n