6.00PM: A "dodgy" New Zealand firm selling "valueless" do it yourself HIV test kits is being accused of making false claims and preying on vulnerable people in "a desperate attempt to make money." Head Start Testing, which appears to be the same Auckland-based firm which in late 2009 withdrew its EZ-Trust HIV test kits for sale after a chorus of condemnation from HIV and AIDS professionals, is promoting B-Clear HIV home test kits. In its just-released promotional material sent to prospective retailers and accompanying its online order form Head Start claims the devices are "NZ Medsafe approved" and asks "Do you know your status or the status of your future partner, your current partner or your previous partners?" It then says its test kits are "simple to use and give you accurate results in less than 10 minutes." Shown the promotional material by GayNZ.com Daily News, the NZ AIDS Foundation says the test "cannot, and will not, be able to reliably tell you if you or your partner has HIV." And, it says, the claim that the kit is "Medsafe approved" is "blatantly untrue." Additionally, "there is ample research, anecdotal evidence and the personal experience of every person living with HIV that proves that a positive test for HIV is a shocking, life-changing and often deeply traumatic experience," says Eamonn Smythe, NZAF Director Positive Health Service. Focussing on the claim of a result in ten minutes, Smythe explains that a person’s body first needs to develop the antibodies that produce a positive result... this takes the human body time to develop and will be identifiable in 80% of people in 3 months." Negative results during this period are common, Smythe says, "and it is important that any risk event is discussed with a health professional so that they can give appropriate advice about when a repeat test will be needed." The NZAF sees no value in these tests and considers them to be "a desperate attempt to make money... Retailers, online outlets, sex on site venues and adult shops in New Zealand are responsible," says Smythe, "and we strongly recommend that they do not stock these testing kits." The Foundation has passed its concerns about the claims made for the kits to Medsafe and the Ministry of Health. Twenty four hours after an approach by GayNZ.com Daily News for comment, Head Start testing has yet to respond. Amongst other concerns we hoped to ascertain whether full information about the complexities of the 90 day "window" period, which is briefly explained online, will accompany each kit, and what the firm's objectives in selling the kits are. You can discuss this New Zealand glbt community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News
First published: Wednesday, 9th February 2011 - 5:11pm