Two studies in the New England Journal of Medicine in February showed that routine HIV testing is cost effective, and costs less than many other diagnostic tests. This current recommendation reinforces the need for routine tests.

"Now that we know that HIV testing is cost effective, even when the prevalence of HIV is low, we need a new approach," says Timothy P. Flanigan, MD, chief of infectious diseases at The Miriam Hospital and a professor of medicine at Brown Medical School.

The researchers recommend that routine testing be covered by private medical insurance and by Medicare and Medicaid. They also recommend changes in current counseling practices for HIV. Minimal counseling could be performed during the consent process for the test, followed by in-depth counseling for persons who receive a positive test result, for patients who request counseling, or when the health care provider believes counseling is appropriate.

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Contact: Holly Korschun
hkorsch@emory.edu
404-727-3990
Emory University Health Sciences Center
30-Mar-2005