HIV and Hepatitis C Testing

[kdjohn34]

Just curious as to how swingers deal with issues of testing for sexually transmitted diseases like HIV or Hepatitis C. I work for a company that offers anonymous, at-home testing for HIV and Hepatitis C. Home Access Health offers the only such at-home testing services that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Our tests are simple, easy to use and provide fast, accurate results in the privacy of your home or office.

One might naturally think that our website would be the perfect place for discreet individuals i.e. swingers, who care about themselves and their future partners, to check-up on their sexual health. Just to be sure, at least about themselves.

But I've approached every NASCA affiliate in the US through email and haven't received any replies. Heck, we've even offered to give out 20 percent commissions on sales to any swinger's site that would link to us as an affiliate. Again, no interest whatsoever.

Does this mean anything to anyone out there? Isn't it of some concern that this issue seems to be ignored by swinger clubs? I would hate to think the swinger's world is "catch as catch can" when it comes to something so important.

Is there another way my company should be approaching the swinger's "industry" on this topic?

I would appreciate any one's thoughts on this.


***Post edited to remove website link by OhioCouple***

[Alura]

I have some thoughts. I'll try to get them posted before Julie deletes your post as spam. There is definitely a need for your product.

1. How long does it take to do the test? Would it be practical for two couples to take the test before playing that evening?

2. Does the testee end up with enduring proof that he is negative?

3. How reliable is the test? What is the failure rate?

4. How much does it cost?

5. How would you set it up so that Julie would be certain to get her commission?

Mr. Alura

[OhioCouple]

Speaking only for myself, we discard and never read unsolicited mail. Therefore that is the first problem that you would encounter with us. We would never read it.

Secondly, I don't think we would do an internet based home service. We have good communication with our Doctors and do any and all testing through them. Insurance covers it. Therefore there would be no reason to go to a home based testing system.

Hope that sheds some light on your questions, based on one couples point of view.


Lori

[kdjohn34]

Mr. Alura has asked some important questions that I’ll answer for the benefit of everyone on this board. We recognize our service isn’t for everyone but we feel it’s an excellent way for discreet people to stay on top of their sexual health on a routine basis. The CDC recommends that sexually active people test for HIV twice a year. And we provide a convenient and accurate system to get that done.

1. How long does it take to do the test? Would it be practical for two couples to take the test before playing that evening?

It takes about 15-20 minutes to collect the blood sample and package it up for shipping. The kit comes with step-by-step illustrated instructions. The sample is either mailed or Fed Ex’d (depending on which service you choose) to an FDA and CLIA approved laboratory where the same exact tests are run on the sample as ordered by any doctor’s office, clinic or hospital. So it is not an “instant” test and would be impractical for playing on a particular evening. People need to be aware of the many fly-by-night operators on the Internet that offer so-called instant tests. Beware. The FDA has not and probably will not ever approve an “instant” test for the at-home market due to concerns about counseling. Our service, however, does provide toll-free telephone access to professional HIV counselors that are available to answer questions or guide you through the process.

2. Does the person taking the test end up with enduring proof that he is negative?

Our service does provide hard copy of an individual’s test when requested either by mail, fax or email.

3. How reliable is the test? What is the failure rate?

In order to gain FDA approval for our anonymous, at-home HIV testing service, we had to conduct clinical trials on over 1,000 subjects. We were 100% perfect in our clinical trials, comparing the results of our service to the results of a venal draw on the same subjects. However, the FDA would not allow us to use a claim of 100%, so legally our accuracy rate is greater than 99.9%, which is the exact same rate you’d get from a test ordered by any doctor’s office, clinic or hospital. Again, I’d like to point out that Home Access Health is the only at-home HIV and Hep C at-home testing service that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

4. How much does it cost?

Our Home Access Express service costs $59.95 and provides results in three business days or less because it uses FedEx. Our “standard” service uses the U.S. Postal Service. It costs $44 and provides results in seven business days. Our Hep C testing service costs $60 and provides results in about ten days. However, in April, the cost of the Hep C service will drop dramatically due to some system changes the FDA has approved which will be implemented soon.

5. How would you set it up so that Julie would be certain to get her commission?

Anyone who has a web page can become an affiliate with Home Access Health and earn 12 % commissions on all sales that are made through a particular site. Our website has all the details. All someone has to do is sign up and provide a username and password. The site provides the “code” for a button that is put on your website and it automatically tracks sales. However, for Julie, we can also create a specially branded landing page with all of our products and for her, we’d also increase the commission percentage to 20% with the hope that she’d promote it to the board’s visitors.

I would like to thank the Swinger's Board for the opportunity to post this message. I think it's an important topic that rises above spamming and self-promotion (but Julie will be the judge of that, I guess). Feel free to contact me directly if anyone has any other questions. Or a visit to our website will also provide valuable information.

[imsnowman]

We recently heard of an HIV test that has been approved that gives the results in 20 minutes. How does it relate to your business?

[kdjohn34]

The HIV "instant" test that was recently approved by FDA is for clinical use only and only under a doctor's order. These tests will be used primarily in outreach or public health settings.

The FDA is not expected to approve the instant test for home use anytime in the near future because no counseling is attached to it. The Home Access HIV test system does provide professional HIV counseling, toll-free by telephone.

The instant test itself is accurate to about 99.6% which, for a screen, is quite good. But the problem is, if you do screen positive, you are going to have to go to a doctor to get a blood draw so they can run a confirmation test.

The Home Access HIV test system provides both the screen AND the confimration test all from the same blood sample that is collected and sent in (the size of a dime) to the laboratory.

That is why our FDA approved accuracy claim is greater than 99.9 %. As I said, they wouldn't let us claim 100% which was the actual results of our clinical trials.

Again, our website is an excellent source for information. Check us out!

[Flori_DAMAN]

Originally posted by imsnowman
We recently heard of an HIV test that has been approved that gives the results in 20 minutes. How does it relate to your business?

It is relatively common knowledge that no HIV test can say you don't have it. You may not show positive until you have been infected for some time

Generally accpeted practices practially eliminate the transmission of HIV during intercourse or oral sex.

More concerning are things like genital warts, herpes etc. Most of these are of concern so you should be careful but I am not a believer in testing.

Even genital herpes can't be accurately tested for.

Choose your partners carefully, and practice safe sex until you are relatively certain the people you are with are low risk.

THe chances of dying on the way to the party are far greater than dying of an STD.

No one yet has conclusively demonstrated HIV in the swinging community. All I have heard thus far (and I follow this closely) is a case in MN where an intravenous drug user, gay guy infected someone.

There is a risk to anything and there certainly is a risk in swinging.

But asses it to the best of your knowledge and don't trust tests.

I'm not saying dont test youself..these tests are practically free and easily obtained but don't tell you much. John.

[kdjohn34]

Awfully, awfully risky attitude John, but one you are entitled to. All it takes is a single infection with the "group." And how do you really know about yourself or any current/potential partner without testing? The simple fact is, you don't.

The point you raise about what's known as the "window period' is a good one and sufficiently addressed by the Home Access at-home HIV test system and not by these fly-by-night "instant" tests that are available out there on the Internet but are not FDA approved.

That's why its important for sexually active people, not just swingers, test themselves for HIV twice a year...that would cover the window period. This is a CDC recommendation.

Kevin

[Flori_DAMAN]

point well taken.

The window period is nothing that I am unaware of however.

Most certainly the swinging community has had thousand of HIV positive participants.

I believe that awareness of other STD's should be emphasized much more in the community than aids though.

The reason is because they are actually spread more often and do show up in the swinging community.

I definitately think that safe sex is paramount, but to use aids which is relatively unsuccessfully transmitted by hetero sexual vaginal or oral sex. Vaginally if you get screwed by a guy 50,000 times with a guy that is positive you will get it....or if 50,000 guys that test positve screw you, you will get it....well those are slim odds...

Those odds are exactly why aids has not infiltrated the swinging community.

However herpes has, and genital warts has, chaldymia, syphylis and the others have on occasion also.

I think these are the ones that we should focus on in order to tell people that you need to be careful.

Most of these are easily dealt with and like I said its your risk and your life.

Personally, I have just chosen to have limited partners and made sure that until I know them it is always protected.

Many swingers have this attitude and I know of few that have contracted anything.......

John.

[Flori_DAMAN]

One more side note.

The statics of 1/50,000 came from the CDC.

However remember that when you buy your next lottery ticket you are about 10 times more likely to get aids from screwing a HIV positive person than winning that lottery...

John.

[kdjohn34]

Originally posted by Flori_DAMAN
One more side note.

The statics of 1/50,000 came from the CDC.

However remember that when you buy your next lottery ticket you are about 10 times more likely to get aids from screwing a HIV positive person than winning that lottery...

John.

It's simply about taking care of yourself and perhaps enlightening future play partners to take care of themselves. Our service can help in that regard. It's anonymous, discreet and convenient and most importantly, non-judgmental (our counselors).

Kevin

[Flori_DAMAN]

Well I hope you do get lots of responses.

Sometimes it is just good for piece of mind.

John.

[menher4her]

We suggest www.discreettest.com out of Vancouver Canada. Soon there will be orasure (out of Pennsylvania, I believe) which will not involve blood but rather oral swabs.

MCG

[kdjohn34]

The test being sold by www.discreet.com is exactly the kind of test I'm talking about where you should be extremely careful.

First of all, this test is NOT approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration...meaning they have supplied absolutely no data to support its safety and effectiveness. I mean how easy would it be for you to produce a blood sample and have that sample "test" negative...since the vast majority of the world is negative...and people would naturally be willing to believe it. It's a big risk to purchase one of these tests.

These are the kind of "fly-by-night" operators I was mentioning earlier in the thread. You are taking a big risk with them. They can not legally sell their products in the U.S. That's why they are Canada based or based offshore.

In addition, it will be a long, long time before FDA approves the OraSure test for the at-home market because counseling is not attached to it. The Home Access Health system does indeed have professional HIV counselors available toll-free for its clients.

Just thought you should know this.

[Flori_DAMAN]

Originally posted by kdjohn34
The test being sold by www.discreet.com is exactly the kind of test I'm talking about where you should be extremely careful.

First of all, this test is NOT approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration...meaning they have supplied absolutely no data to support its safety and effectiveness. I mean how easy would it be for you to produce a blood sample and have that sample "test" negative...since the vast majority of the world is negative...and people would naturally be willing to believe it. It's a big risk to purchase one of these tests.

These are the kind of "fly-by-night" operators I was mentioning earlier in the thread. You are taking a big risk with them. They can not legally sell their products in the U.S. That's why they are Canada based or based offshore.

In addition, it will be a long, long time before FDA approves the OraSure test for the at-home market because counseling is not attached to it. The Home Access Health system does indeed have professional HIV counselors available toll-free for its clients.

Just thought you should know this.

Most informational. Thanks for enlightening some of us that would have never given it a second thought.

How horrible can some people be for the almighty dollar? It amazes me even though I should be numb to it by now.

John