HIV Testing Is the First Step to Care
National HIV Testing Day is a campaign to help providers and their patients locate services, engage in testing, and facilitate connections to care. In the United States, more than one million people are infected with HIV, and one in six of them don’t know it. Testing is the first step in helping previously undiagnosed patients receive life-enhancing treatment and prevent HIV transmission — it’s the best way to understand if your patients should be linked to further HIV care.

The current recommendations for HIV testing in the U.S. indicate opt-out testing for all patients at least once in their lifetimes:

• As part of regular medical care, HIV screening for all persons aged 15 – 64 (US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation) or age 13 – 64 (CDC recommendation).

• Screening for all pregnant women.

The CDC recommends that HIV screening tests are administered on an “Opt-out” vs. “Opt-in” basis. “Opt-out” consent refers to general informed consent for medical care notifying the patient that an HIV test will be performed unless the patient declines, and should be considered adequate informed consent for HIV testing. Routine screening does not require pretest counseling or separate written consent from the patient in most states as had been the practice for “Opt-in” testing. For the latest comprehensive CDC recommendations on HIV testing, see the CDC ‘s Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings.

We Can Help You Put Testing Into Practice
The Clinician Consultation Center encourages you to contact our consultation services for questions about HIV testing through the CCC HIV/AIDS Management Service at (800) 933-3413, through our CDC HIV e-Inquiry Service email (hivtesting@nccc.ucsf.edu), and through our online case submission service, the electronic Clinician Consultation Service (e-CCS). We provide expert advice on implementing routine testing, choosing appropriate HIV tests, deciphering indeterminate test results, and providing counseling and follow-up testing. We are staffed with doctors, nurses, and clinical pharmacists to help with all your testing questions.

CCC HIV Testing Resources
CCC HIV Testing FAQ
The CCC’s newly updated Frequently Asked Questions about HIV Testing provides important details for clinicians about HIV testing in your practice. The questions and answers come from the most frequent testing topics addressed by our team of HIV clinical consultants.
CCC HIV Testing in Pregnancy FAQ   (note: this link is no longer active)
The CCC’s new resource on fourth generation HIV testing and pregnancy is a list of frequently asked questions and answers inspired by clinical consultations and work with the clinical perinatal HIV community and the Perinatal HIV Hotline.
CCC HIV Testing Case of the Month
Read our monthly case from the hotlines discussing indeterminate test results and repeat HIV testing.
CCC HIV Testing Page
Resources on testing, implementation, and linkage to care.
CCC Compendium of State HIV Testing Laws
A state-by-state summary of legal guidelines for HIV testing, disclosure, and counseling.

Additional HIV Testing Resources
CDC ‘s Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings
The latest CDC recommendations on HIV testing
CDC’s Laboratory Testing for the Diagnosis of HIV Infection – Updated Recommendations
Newly released CDC HIV testing recommendations with updates for HIV testing by laboratories and approaches for reporting test results to persons ordering HIV tests and to public health authorities.
AETC NRC Testing Tools
Provider and trainer resources on HIV testing from the AIDS Education and Training Centers
HIV Screening. Standard Care.
CDC tools for primary care providers to help ensure all patients are tested for HIV.
Ryan White Target Center Testing Library
Ryan White resources for providers about HIV testing.
Increasing Access to HIV Testing, Care, and Treatment
Clinical Risk Management Program’s newsletter on HIV testing access.
National HIV Testing Day
CDC resources on National HIV Testing Day

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