Point-of-Care HIV Viral Load Testing: an Essential Tool for a Sustainable Global HIV/AIDS Response

Discussion
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Diagnostic POC tests have rapidly emerged and are expanding into laboratories and clinics in high-income countries and in LMICs. In recent years, several POC HIV viral load tests have become available, and more are expected soon. POC HIV viral load assays are important to measure individual treatment success as well as monitor the overall progress in achieving the goals of the HIV care and treatment.

Please see this review, that highlights the existing technologies for POC HIV viral load testing, the existing evidence for decentralized testing by health care workers within HIV programs, and evidence from modeling and cost-effectiveness studies.
Drain et al_2019.pdf (2.1 MB)

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Thanks, Mikashmi
Enjoyed reading Paul Drain’s paper.
We have just secured a large grant to test the efficacy of centralised and decentralised HIV POC testing with a view to developing flexible, location-specific models that allow for more meaningful test and treat outcomes. We will also be examining HIV drug resistance in detail given increasing concerns regarding the emergence of mutations in our part of the world.