A third of HIV-related deaths could be avoided if testing for the disease was more widespread and more socially acceptable. Concise guidelines published in Clinical Medicine, the journal of the Royal College of Physicians, will enable any doctor, nurse, midwife or trained healthcare worker to carry out HIV tests and help drive down late diagnoses of the virus.
Dr Mary Armitage, former clinical vice president of the RCP and chair of the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health (MedFASH) project advisory group, welcomed the publication: "There are compelling reasons for making the HIV test a routine investigation in many secondary care settings, as set out in these guidelines."
Dr Mark Pakianathan, British Association for Sexual health and HIV (BASHH), commented: "A 20 year old diagnosed with HIV today can expect to live an additional 50 years with the treatment now available. We have an urgent responsibility to recommend testing when appropriate to avoid unnecessary death and spread of disease."
