The Solution

Testing is the solution to the HIV crisis. Getting easy-to-use, accurate rapid testing into global use will make the difference.

HIV remains a contagious and dread disease in the U.S. and around the world. About one fourth of HIV infected people in the United States remain unaware of their status, and go on to be responsible for the majority of all new infections. We see the consequences of these statistics, recognize that AIDS often affects those in hapless circumstances – a naïve American teenager – the baby born in a distant undeveloped village. We counsel our young people that knowing, for sure, the status of themselves and their partner is basic healthcare. Testing for AIDS is basic healthcare.

The benefits of early diagnosis and treatment are key, increasing years living with AIDS as much as five fold. Global consensus supports aggressive testing if we are to control the HIV pandemic and turn the tide toward global health. This pressure for everyone to know their HIV status has greatly increased routine point-of-care rapid testing, as well as renewed the consideration of HIV rapid home diagnostics. All considerations point toward increased testing.

Critical to the solution is a reliable rapid test which can meet or exceed point-of-care and other market demands. First Step© has been designed to improve testing procedures and hasten the goal toward identifying, counseling and treating all those infected with HIV/AIDS.