We can’t treat and defeat what we don’t know. Which is why testing is a key component to society’s global ability to fight viruses like HIV, an ever-changing epidemic.
For the last 40 years, HIV has severely impacted our global communities. Currently there are more than 30 million people worldwide with HIV, but 15% of them don’t know their status. In Brazil alone there are 1 million people living with HIV, leading to almost 15,000 deaths each year. Despite Brazil historically being at the forefront of HIV interventions, rates are increasing and there is still a significant cultural taboo surrounding the topic.
Abbott has been a leader in infectious disease testing and viral surveillance for decades. We created the first ever HIV test in 1985 and now provide a wide variety of HIV tests for many settings from the laboratory to rapid tests that can be used in the most remote settings. Our latest testing innovation is the Panbio HIV Self Test, which increases access to testing and enables people all over the globe to receive a diagnosis as close to the time of infection as possible.
Testing remains the first step to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat. Early diagnosis can help prevent deaths and improve quality of life, making testing and knowing your HIV status the gateway to care that can help people continue living their lives should they test positive. The closer diagnosis is to the time of infection, the better the health outcomes for those with HIV and especially those in higher risk groups.
Self-testing helps breakdown societal barriers that inhibit people from accessing HIV testing, diagnosis and treatment. Individuals can obtain a self-test kit at their local pharmacy and conduct the test discretely at home by themselves, giving important information that can move people to get care and treatment.
And, testing not only provides individuals with their own important health information, but it helps scientists better understand the virus and therefore the technological and healthcare needs to combat HIV globally.
40 years ago, an HIV diagnosis was almost certain to lead to premature death, but with advances in testing and care this is no longer the case. Specifically, Brazil has been at the forefront of HIV treatment and prevention in Latin America, being one of the first countries to provide ARTs (antiretroviral therapy) free of charge – but none of this would be possible without first knowing one’s HIV status.
In order to make a lasting positive impact, HIV scientists, industry leaders, doctors and community members need to work together to utilize all the tools that are available globally. Abbott will continue to develop HIV testing technologies to help increase access to vital health information for those that need it most – so the global community can work collectively to decrease HIV contraction and death rates and increase quality of life.
Testing enables us to know what we as individuals and as a global community are facing when it comes to HIV status. Technology and treatments are available and if we leverage these tools when and where they’re needed most, we can bring the end of the epidemic into our sightline.
