The CDC is proposing a major change in HIV testing guidelines that would allow doctors to make screening for the virus that causes AIDS a routine aspect of medical care for all Americans between the ages of 16 and 64. Critics have argued for years that many of those infected with HIV are unaware of their condition. Supporters of more widespread testing argue the approach is a common sense method of battling any epidemic. What will the new testing turn up? The unconventional wisdom has held that HIV infection patterns are far more complex than the available data suggest. The news is seen as likely to give a boost to companies like OraSure, which makes a widely-used quick testing kit for HIV.
- see this article from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)