Through a partnership with Atomo Diagnostics, Pharmacy 777 provides communities with trusted, accessible and convenient support to encourage early testing and ensure patients are treated sooner. 

The arrival of the self-tests coinciding with HIV Awareness Week and World AIDS Day on 1 December. Compelling Australian research shows that HIV self-tests will increase testing among people who won’t otherwise see a doctor for a test. 

“Having this self-test available in pharmacy is an important step in the role that community pharmacies play in HIV prevention,” said Kristian Ray, Pharmacy 777 Pharmacist. “Community pharmacists provide convenient access and support to connect people to allied health and HIV support services in their local area. We are also working to improve access to support across the state, including in regional locations where local services may be limited.”

Darryl O’Donnell, CEO of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO), said testing is vital to preventing HIV transmission. “Once people know their status they can start treatment, which allows them to completely suppress the virus, preventing further transmission. Being able to perform a finger prick test in the comfort of your own home will encourage more people to test for HIV.”
 

Self-testing access

The test kits will be available from mid-December. Atomo’s product is the only TGA-approved self-test in Australia and will help to further the goal of the Australian government and LGBTIQ community of ending HIV transmission. According Atomo Diagnostics, laboratory testing has found the self-tests to be 99.6% accurate at identifying HIV negative and HIV positive samples. However, as with any HIV test, it may not detect HIV that has recently been acquired. 

“Atomo is excited to be able to work with pharmacy groups such as Pharmacy 777, following the recent change in the TGA regulatory conditions allowing sales of the Atomo HIV Self-Test directly to consumers and the removal of limitations on advertising,” said John Kelly, Atomo CEO.  

“Opening up access to HIV Self-Testing is important for the ongoing effort to manage HIV in the community and as the only company with an approved HIV Self-Test in Australia, Atomo is proud to be able to increase access to and awareness of the ability for at-risk people to check their status with a simple and intuitive HIV Self-Test”.
 

Service availability

Community pharmacists are easily accessible healthcare professionals, who provide a safe space to access support through confidential and private consultations.  Your pharmacist will be able to demonstrate how to take the test and advise patients on when to re-test based on exposure to risk as well as regular three-month testing.

“The role of pharmacists in HIV prevention and management is expanding,” Kristian said. “We anticipate the rollout of the self-test kits in community pharmacies will create greater public awareness of their availability and we hope it will help start a conversation around screening and prevention of HIV. Every screening is an opportunity for patient education about harm reduction. If a patient is concerned they may have been exposed to HIV in the last three months, we will connect them with another healthcare professional to provide a different test and advise on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment if required.”

For more information, chat with your 777 Pharmacist at your local Pharmacy 777.

Read more here, published in Australian Pharmacist.