Media Watch
Oral HIV tests less reliable than blood tests
The accuracy of increasingly popular HIV home-testing kits is under scrutiny according to a report in The Times.
A study, published in the Lancet online medical journal this week, revealed that the oral tests (which involve swabbing the inside of the cheek) are 2 percent less accurate at detecting HIV antibodies than tests that use blood.
According to the article, home testing has become extremely popular in countries like Kenya and Uganda where confidentiality of HIV test results is a problem.
And while 2 percent less sensitivity might seem negligible, when oral testing kits are being used by millions of people, inaccurate results (especially false negatives) are potentially significant, according to Mark Sonderup of the South African Medical Association.
City Press article could ‘ring’ true
On Sunday (22 January) City Press newspaper featured an informative good news HIV-story, which revealed that yet another promising female-initiated method of HIV-prevention is being tested.
However the article in the City Press does not consider this new development in light of the recent cancellation of the MTN VOICE microbicide trial or the wider controversy sometimes generated by the media in relation to clinical trials.
A few months ago The Times sported a rather depressing headline which seemed to sound the death knell for once promising HIV-preventative microbicide gels, when in fact the inefficacy of the VOICE trial represented one setback rather than the complete demise of vaginal microbicides on the whole as a viable way of preventing HIV.
Clinic horror stories
Syndicated articles in The New Age for two days running have covered the horror faced by residents of Du Noon trying to seek medical attention at their local clinic.
Brothers playing their part
The Brothers for Life campaign has since inception enjoyed frequent media attention for the fresh approach to responding to the challenges facing men in a society where HIV is so prevalent.
