HIV self-testing – evidence update

The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes an updated policy brief with guidance to optimise the implementation of self-testing, including effective service delivery models, support tools and linkage to care. This comes after the WHO recommended HIV self-testing as a safe, accurate and effective way to reach people who may not otherwise test in 2016.

Based on a systematic review, the WHO finds that compared to standard facility-based HIV testing, self-testing increases overall HIV testing uptake, and that the proportions of people being diagnosed and linked to care are similar for both means of testing.