HIV Test

Worried and anxious that you may have been exposed to someone with HIV? You can use our HIV home blood test kit in the comfort of your own home, using our finger-prick test kit. We’ll send you everything you need, including instructions and a pre-paid return envelope for your blood sample. Order your at-home blood test kit now.

HIV Test
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Laboratory services provided by NowPatient
US test kits delivered securely by USPS
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UK test kits delivered securely by Royal Mail
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HIV Test key facts

Navin Khosla NowPatientGreen tick
Updated on 4 Oct 2024

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a viral sexually transmitted infection usually caught during unprotected vaginal or anal sex with an infected sexual partner. HIV can also be transmitted through blood by sharing needles. Also, a mother can pass it on to her baby during pregnancy or in breast milk.

HIV attacks your immune system, weakening your ability to fight infections and illness. If untreated, it may lead to the development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

When should you take an HIV home test?

You should take an HIV test if you are at risk of HIV infection. This may be if you have had unprotected sex or possible exposure to HIV in another way.

What does the HIV test check for?

The HIV test will look for HIV antibodies and p24 antigens in the blood. HIV antibodies are produced by the immune system when you have a HIV type 1 or type 2 infection. P24 antigen is a protein from the HIV virus, found during the initial HIV infection.

How to use an HIV home test kit

Our finger-prick HIV blood test can be taken from 4 weeks after exposure, in your own home. The test should be repeated at 12 weeks post-exposure to confirm the results. We’ll send you everything you need, including instructions and a pre-paid return envelope for your blood sample.

Are at-home HIV test kits reliable? What you should know

At-home HIV screening kits are reliable, however:

  • There is a small chance of false positive or negative results
  • Self-tests may not be reliable for the detection of recent infections
  • Follow-up testing is required after a reactive result, especially if you think the results are not accurate
  • Certain health conditions and medicines can affect results
  • Oral fluid samples may be less reliable than blood samples

What is the difference between rapid and mail-in HIV home test kits?

Rapid HIV home test kits use a finger prick or oral fluid sample and provide results within minutes. Mail-in HIV home test kits use a sample of blood that is sent to a lab for testing. Results are normally available within 2 to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions about HIV tests

How accurate are HIV home test kits compared to lab-based testing?

HIV tests are not 100% accurate. Around 0.5% of people not infected will have a false positive result. False HIV-negative results are most common during the first few weeks after HIV infection. After 3 months, HIV tests are more than 99.97% accurate. Many HIV tests give a negative result to 99% of people who do not have HIV.

What is the window period for detecting HIV using a home test?

The window period is the time between exposure and when a test can detect the infection. This will depend on the type of HIV test and how the sample is collected.

  • Nucleic acid lab tests can detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure
  • Antigen/antibody blood tests can detect HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure
  • Antigen/antibody rapid tests can detect HIV 18 to 90 days after exposure
  • Antibody tests (rapid or self-test) can detect HIV 23 to 90 days after exposure
  • HIV self-test tells you your HIV status 90 days ago

A single HIV test 4 weeks after exposure is normally enough for most people to detect an infection. Individuals with high-risk behaviour may need more frequent testing.

How long does it take to get results from a rapid HIV self-test?

Your HIV self-test results will be available within one working day of receiving your sample at the laboratory.

Can HIV home test kits detect both HIV-1 and HIV-2?

Yes. The HIV test will look for HIV antibodies produced by the immune system when you have an HIV type 1 or type 2 infection.

What should I do if my HIV test result is positive?

If your HIV diagnosis is HIV positive, the lab will conduct further tests. If you think you have recently been exposed to HIV and need post-exposure prophylaxis, visit your nearest sexual health clinic or A&E, to speak to a healthcare provider as soon as possible for HIV treatment.

Service Guide

Everything you need to know about Home Health Testing

What is this service for?

Blood tests are a convenient way for you to investigate your health concerns. NowPatient’s Home Health Testing allows you to test hundreds of different biomarkers which can help confirm if your health concerns are valid or simply give you peace of mind that you are in good health.

Is this a safe service?

Yes. For UK users, our laboratory operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is the UK’s largest diagnostic laboratory service which is UKAS and ISO-certified.

For US users, our American laboratory is CLIA-certified and registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Our telehealth clinicians infer your test results and invite you to a virtual consultation in a real-time setting to discuss the results, after which they are then released into your account for download. You can then share the results with your doctor.

Are the at-home Health Testing kits reliable?

Yes. Our UK kits are certified by UKAS and CE-marked. Our US kits are CLIA-certified and registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
  • Test kits have an outer seal design, with the product and regulatory information and a tamper-proof seal
  • UK Test kits are registered with the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for distribution in the UK only
  • US Test kits are registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health
  • Test kits are available in multi-language translation
  • Each test kit contains a warnings and precautions section with detailed information for the healthcare organization and yourself as the patient
  • Video instructions supporting the specific sample collection are provided with each Self-Collect kit. Videos are designed to emphasize the important steps associated with capillary blood sampling and do not supersede or replace the specific end-user instructions provided with each kit

Is the service available in the United States and the United Kingdom?

Yes. This service is available in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Do I need to pay for this service?

Yes, this is currently a private service. However, in the UK, this may change and may be funded by the NHS, in the future. In the US, it may be possible it is covered by insurance but this depends on your health plan.

What happens when I order a Home Health Testing kit?

We will send you the test kit you have ordered, which will have instructions on how to collect your sample. Once collected, you simply pop it into the pre-paid envelope and send it to our laboratory.

How will I know how to use the test kit?

Instructions for sample collection are enclosed in each collection kit and can be found in the video below.

How do I return the sample to your laboratory?

We supply you with a return system package. Use this to send back the sample. Samples are fully tracked and can be posted from any Royal Mail post box, for UK customers, or USPS, for US customers.

How long does it take to get the test results back and what happens next?

Test results can take up to 10 working days to process from the day we receive your sample back. When we have processed your results, you will be sent a notification which will appear in your ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard, which will advise you that your results are now in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard, however, the test results will be locked and will not be viewable. The notification will include a link that will allow you to book a consultation with one of our Home Health Testing counsellors.

How do I book a consultation?

Once you click ‘Book Consultation’, you will be taken to a consultation booking screen. You will then need to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language of the prescribing clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available clinicians. From this list, you can filter clinicians by gender and then select the clinician you would like to confirm for your booking. Once you have approved this, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar. Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before it is due to start.

What happens during the consultation?

At the consultation, the clinician will discuss what the results mean for you and the medication you are currently taking. If the clinician decides that your doctor may need to review your medication or dose, they will send a referral letter, including the test results, to your doctor. If the clinician decides the results do not affect the way you process your medications then the consultation will end.

What happens at the end of the consultation?

At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcomes of the consultation. It will also advise if a doctor referral was made, by way of letter. If a GP referral letter was issued, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard. At this stage, your test results will also be unlocked and you will be able to download it and share it with any other healthcare provider.

Are my results confidential?

Yes, we follow strict General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) which came into force in May 2018. This places legal requirements on ourselves to ensure your personal data is managed securely with utmost confidentiality. Records are maintained of the processing that is carried out and reported when breaches of the regulation do occur. Our platform is also HIPAA compliant which means we are able to handle PHI (Personal Health Information) securely.

Are you able to prescribe a treatment plan, if my results indicate I need treatment?

For UK users, our prescribing clinicians may be able to provide a private treatment plan, subject to their clinical judgment. Unfortunately, we do not operate a service where you can request a certain medication.

What are the limitations of the Home Health Testing service?

All test kits have a certain level of inaccuracy, therefore results can only be taken as estimates. It should be noted all tests are performed in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and test performance is regularly monitored through internal and external quality control for test result interpretation.

We do not recommend sending samples back between Friday noon and Monday morning due to delays.

Are there any concerns or risks I need to be aware of?

Tests cannot be performed if samples fall short of the quality, volume, or other eligibility criteria. In these cases, the laboratory may need to reject the samples, and not carry out processing. Sometimes the laboratory is able to rectify a situation and although turnaround times may be affected, it avoids having to arrange for samples to be taken again.

Tests cannot be performed if incorrect sample types are received; samples are received unprotected from light when they are required to be covered at the point of venepuncture; samples are received in incorrect containers; no sample received; samples mislabelled, unlabelled, or with no forms, or no clinical information, samples are broken or have leaked in transit; samples are contaminated (e.g. being in the same bag as a leaking sample); sample stability time has been exceeded (stability time is test dependant, and also refers to tests that can only be carried out on certain days of the week); samples are received in expired tubes.

The laboratory will not accept samples packaged with needles of any kind.

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