HIV Self-Tests Provide STI Solution Outside Cities

75% of HIV self-tests ordered online are from rural areas as budget cuts impact access to sexual health services

LONDON, UK, Dec. 1, 2016 /CNW/ - The world's fastest HIV self test has launched for sale online in the UK ahead of World AIDS Day.  

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161130/444458)

The launch follows research from the British HIV Association indicating that of the 28,000 units sold between 2015 and 2016, 75% were from non-metropolitan areas and almost half of users were first time testers.

bioLytical Laboratories, a world leader in rapid infectious disease tests, has developed a new sixty second solutionⁱ in the INSTI^® HIV Self Test. The test detects HIV up to two weeks sooner than all other HIV home tests.

The self test provides an estimated 18,000 people in the UK, who are unaware of their positive status¹, the opportunity to test without waiting for an appointment or the results. TV's Dr. Christian Jessen, says: "Two of the biggest barriers we face in confronting HIV are awareness and access. Online access to tests and education on the importance of HIV testing are vital this World AIDS Day."

Access to sexual health clinics in the UK has been widely reported² to affect rural communities over cities, with city residents benefiting from widely available sexual health services as well as primary and secondary care consultancy. Stan Miele, bioLytical's Chief Commercial Officer, says: "We developed the INSTI HIV Self Test for just this reason, to enable individuals to take control of their own schedule when it comes to HIV testing. The test is easy to use and can be conducted in the comfort of your own home offering an instant result."

With one finger prick and a single drop of blood, the INSTI HIV Self Test provides instant results and is over 99% accurate.  With other home HIV tests, individuals must wait 15 to 20 minutes (after the test is conducted) for a result to be produced or several days or weeks in the case of laboratory tests.

The INSTI HIV Self Test kit also includes a resource card on where to seek help or for those who have general questions on HIV screening.

The test kit is available now online at www.INSTI-HIVSelfTest.com

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¹ http://www.hivaware.org.uk/facts-myths/hiv-statistics 
² http://www.healthtalk.org/young-peoples-experiences/sexual-health/difficulty-accessing-services-rural-areas

Issued by Beattie Communications on behalf of bioLytical Laboratories Inc.

About bioLytical Laboratories Inc.

bioLytical Laboratories Inc. is a privately owned Canadian company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of rapid, point of care in vitro medical diagnostics using its proprietary INSTI technology platform. With a world-wide footprint of regulatory approvals including US FDA approval, Health Canada approval and CE mark, bioLytical markets and sells its INSTI HIV test globally and INSTI HIV/Syphilis Multiplex test in Europe. The INSTI product line provides highly accurate test results in 60 seconds or less, far faster than the 15-20 minutes required for competitors' tests based on lateral flow technology. bioLytical has an active R&D program with a pipeline that includes tests for diseases such as Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, Hepatitis C and Ebola, among others. The company also provides contract services to adapt the INSTI platform to meet custom functional and technical diagnostic testing requirements. For more information, please visit http://www.biolytical.com.

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ⁱ Result time dependant on correct procedure and is provided post blood sample

SOURCE bioLytical Laboratories

Image with caption: "An HIV home test that provides instant results. (CNW Group/bioLytical Laboratories)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161201_C8135_PHOTO_EN_829087.jpg

Jeremy Page, [email protected], [phone]