Development of a United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Scheme (UK NEQAS) for HIV point of care testing

Abdul-Khaliq, Catherine

Many patients remain anonymous at sexual health clinics and it is therefore impossible to trace them and inform them of their test result. This obviously has a severe impact on the risk of HIV transmission. It has been shown in several studies such as that by Darnell One of the priority areas for the UNAIDS framework for 2009-2011 is to reduce the transmission of HIV. Testing for HIV at the point of care may increase the number of adults willing to take a test as the results are produced at the same time as testing. This would therefore reduce the risk of transmission and allow anti-viral treatment to start earlier. 3 Point of care tests (POCTs) are investigations carried out near to or at the patient's side. They are rapid immunochromatographic, flow through or particle agglutination assays that provide results immediately or within minutes depending on the test device. Only a small volume of patient sample is required to perform the test, often a drop of blood from a finger prick. 4 The sample formats for use in POCTs vary between devices but can be serum, plasma, whole blood or saliva.