04 December 13

Ending HIV

Home Testing Study – Interested?

Are you interested in testing for HIV in the privacy of your own home?

If you’re a gay man living in Sydney, aged 18 years or older, planning to stay in Australia for the next 2 years, and you have had any unprotected anal sex in the last three months, OR if you have had more than five sex partners in the last three months, you may be eligible to take part in a new home HIV testing trial being rolled out by our friends at the Kirby Institute.

The tests, which are supplied free, involve a mouth swab and give you a result in 20 minutes.

While HIV home testing has been a reality in many other parts of the world for the better part of the last decade, sadly this has not been the case in Australia, but all that might be about to change.

This trial is a randomised control trial, so, if you take part, we cannot guarantee that you would be randomised into the home testing arm, but we do know that all participants will be given access the home testing kits after the first 12 months.

Home testing is administered privately by you, and it only requires a simple mouth swab using the test pictured above and provides a result in 20 minutes. There are a few other research things that you need to do, like fill in a questionnaire, and you are encouraged to continue having regular STI tests.

If you are interested in participating in this study, ACON will be enrolling participants on Monday 9 December 2013 and Tuesday 10 December 2013 between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Call Dermot to make an appointment on (02) 9206 2051 or 1800 063 060 and help us bring the latest home HIV testing technology to Australia!

For more information about the FORTH Study and how you can participate visit the study website.