How do I get tested for AIDS?

Service-Public's response:

If you are at risk, have given up using condoms in a relationship or plan to become pregnant, screening can tell you if you are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and possibly start treatment quickly.

Testing can be done by

• a blood test
  
  • by contacting their treating physician or a physician in a liberal practice who prescribes a blood test to be carried out in a laboratory (it is refundable to 100% by Health Insurance);
  • visiting an anonymous, free testing center;
  • by going to a laboratory without a medical prescription and therefore without reimbursement from the Health Insurance.
• a rapid laboratory orientation test (Trod): A reagent detects HIV infection on a drop of blood taken from a finger or a sample of saliva
  
  • in a maternal and child protection center (PMI) or family planning center;
  • an anonymous, free testing center;
  • in an AIDS organization, for example.
• HIV self-test
  
  • in a pharmacy (it costs between €25 and €30 depending on the place of sale and is not reimbursed by the Health Insurance). Attention: the reliability of the self-test is not perfect: there are false positives (positive test and no contamination) and false negatives (negative test and actual contamination).

Sida Info Service can be reached confidentially, anonymously and free of charge on 0800 840 800.