Posted on 8 Aug 2018

Health and beauty retailer Superdrug is to stock HIV self-testing kits across it's 200 stores for £39.99. The testing kit was available to buy online.

The BioSURE HIV Self Test became the first legally approved self-testing kit due to it's 99.7% accuracy rate.

Superdrug said making the kit more widely available and help reduce a person's waiting time between taking test and their result.

It could also help increase early diagnosis rates, it added.

Due to developments in treatments available, HIV can now be a manageable disease but late diagnosis can have a devastating impact on health and life expectancy.

Dr Pixie McKenna, a GP and Superdrug's health expert, said: "Superdrug's move to encourage and empower patients to self-test for HIV is one further step forward in our fight against this disease.

"While there is no cure, early diagnosis is key in terms of management.

"Patients successfully managed on HIV treatments have normal life expectancy, but to know you need treatment you need to know your diagnosis."

Michael Henry, healthcare director at Superdrug, added: "We are delighted to be the first high street retailer to add BioSURE HIV Self Test to our in-store portfolio and to give our customers more accessibility when it comes to self-testing – it's absolutely crucial that people know their status.

"We do understand this can be a difficult time, our nursing and pharmacist staff are always on hand to discuss any questions or concerns consumers may have around HIV."