FDA approves new HIV test

This is not original reporting. All information was obtained from The Washington Post news summary "Rapid Oral Test for HIV Approved" printed March 27.

The first ever created rapid saliva test for HIV was approved on March 26 by the Food and Drug Administration, according to The Washington Post. The device yields results within 20 minutes and is 99 percent accurate.

Unlike currently available tests for HIV, this technology, created by OraSure Technologies Inc., does not require blood samples. "This oral test provides another important option for people who might be afraid of a blood test," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson told the Post. In addition, health care workers are protected from infections resulting from handling blood.

Standard HIV tests take one to two weeks to give conclusive results, according to the Post. Rapid tests allow patients to begin treatment early, a crucial step in inhibiting HIV from spreading.

The Post article is available here.