Clinical labs help drive early HIV detection and support efforts to prevent its spread.
By Cariane Morales, MD — Medical Director at Hope & Help of Central Florida
Though great strides have been made in lessening cases of HIV in the United States, the HIV epidemic is far from over. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 31,000 new cases of HIV occur in the United States every year. While the issue of HIV has not been making headlines the way it did in the late ‘80s and into the ‘90s, during the height of the AIDS crisis, it is still a significant issue that must be addressed, especially among vulnerable populations.Â
While recent medical breakthroughs have brought needed optimism to the communities most affected by HIV, early detection and prevention continue to be crucial for HIV control. The imperative for free HIV testing, accessible healthcare, outreach, and community education must endure beyond Pride Month.Â
At the frontlines stand clinical laboratories, providers, and nonprofit organizations that work directly with the most vulnerable communities, lending help with accessible testing resources, medical care for those who test positive, and information regarding prevention and protection.
HIV Testing: A Lifesaving Priority
Since the height of the AIDS epidemic, access to testing has been critical for the health of individuals and for stemming the spread of HIV and AIDS. Experts have always agreed that early diagnosis of HIV enables prompt treatment and helps curb further infections within communities. Quick access to treatment also allows people with HIV to live longer, healthier lives and dramatically reduces the risk of new diagnoses.
For clinical laboratories, providers, and nonprofit organizations, HIV testing has become a lifesaving priority in an age of better treatments and prevention methods. HIV testing matters because HIV remains a silent foe for those in vulnerable populations. The virus can remain symptomless for months or years, making regular testing crucial for knowing their status.
Individuals who are given the ability to recognize their HIV-positive status early can gain access to critical antiretroviral treatment. This early intervention can help them achieve viral suppression and effectively eliminate the possibility of sexual transmission of the virus to their partners.
Testing is also significant because knowledge is power. Knowing one’s status empowers them to make mindful choices about their health, relationships, and future preventative measures.
The Role of Clinical Labs in Prevention and Detection
Clinical labs and providers are uniquely positioned to have a significant impact on the community level in HIV prevention and detection. Clinical labs are especially integral in the push for timely and accurate diagnosis. Today’s fourth-generation HIV tests are highly sensitive, with the ability to detect HIV in an average of 18 days from the time of exposure.Â
Ongoing management is also handled by providers who are integrated into the community. These providers often include some nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost medical care to those facing HIV infections, free HIV testing, and access to prevention methods such as PrEP.
Expanding Access to Free HIV Testing
Today’s leaders in the HIV/AIDS prevention space stress the importance of expanding access to free HIV testing as a way of curbing the transmission of the virus. Access to free HIV testing can be a game-changer, especially among vulnerable populations and marginalized communities. Many community organizations offer free testing resources, working to remove barriers that keep people from seeking help and medical care they may desperately need. Free access also encourages participation, leading to more tests, more diagnoses, and a more informed population.Â
Normalization of regular HIV testing for everyone as part of routine healthcare is crucial to continuing to stem the transmission of the virus. Many nonprofits and clinical groups have started bringing mobile testing units to communities through testing vans, pop-ups at events such as Pride parades, or expanded community clinic hours specifically for testing. These mobile testing opportunities expand access and widen reach, helping people who may not have access to testing or medical care get seen.
At-home testing kits have also gained prominence. Through confidential testing kits that people can gain access to through the mail, individuals can self-test, helping them move past privacy concerns and the stigma that still surrounds HIV and AIDS.Â
Community-based nonprofits and clinician groups have also targeted health fairs and various events—such as those during Pride Month—as prime opportunities to reach people and educate them about testing and follow-up care.
Telehealth has also helped nonprofits and providers expand access to testing and care, connecting people to virtual healthcare resources, including counseling, test ordering, and follow-up, thereby covering gaps for individuals who may live in medical care deserts or are apprehensive about in-person visits for testing.
The Latest in HIV Prevention
Along with testing, breakthroughs in HIV prevention have helped slow the spread of HIV over the years. The introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, ushered in a new era. PrEP has been instrumental in preventing HIV infections, particularly in high-risk communities.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Yeztugo, a twice-yearly injection prevention medication that is the first of its kind to receive FDA approval. The prevention approach offers up to six months of protection from HIV. In clinical trials, 99.9% of those receiving the medication remained HIV negative.Â
With such advancements being made in prevention with the advent of PrEP, people who have historically faced barriers to protection or with instability in their lives have a much better chance of preventing an HIV infection. While other prevention methods, such as free condoms available through clinics and nonprofit organizations, remain valid, ongoing advancements only stand to help more people remain free from HIV.
How Pride Month Is a Launching Point for Community Awareness
Health equity is the primary focus for many community organizations and clinicians. Pride Month has become a notable opportunity to advance healthcare equity and access.
Pride events, such as parades and parties, bring together members of marginalized communities who may gain access to mobile testing and medical care they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access. These venues are ideal for education, information dissemination, and widespread free HIV testing.
Messaging that Pride event organizers work hard to spread can help destigmatize HIV testing, promote self-care, and bolster community pride, which can help diminish some of the fear and hesitancy that can surround HIV testing.
By leveraging Pride Month, those on the front lines of prevention and the eventual cure of HIV can issue important reminders that taking care of one’s health is an integral part of equity.
Breaking Down Barriers in the Fight Against HIV
Healthcare providers, community organizations, and clinicians remain frontline influencers in the fight against HIV. As prevention methods continue to improve, these significant people can help expand efforts by educating broadly and focusing on vulnerable and at-risk populations about their testing and prevention options. They continue to make innovative mobile testing and comprehensive medical care accessible to the communities that need those options the most.
As the collaborative effort to end HIV continues, the priorities for clinicians and community organizations remain expanding access to free HIV testing, medical care, and the emotional support that can be crucial to communities most affected by HIV and AIDS. By combining medical advancements with an empathetic approach, we can hope for a future where HIV becomes a rarity, stigma is nonexistent, and support is widespread.
About the author: Cariane Morales, MD, originally from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, is board-certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases and is a certified HIV specialist. She has held positions at Montefiore Medical Center and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where she also served as an assistant professor of medicine. Now based in Winter Park, Fla, she is the medical director at Hope & Help of Central Florida, focusing on HIV care, screening, and prevention.
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