About AIDS

One AIDS-related story sort of got lost in the World AIDS Day shuffle last week: The Internet company Medimax Inc. has been charged by the Federal Trade Commission with selling bogus at-home HIV tests and making false claims about its product on the company's Web site. According to the FTC, company owner David Rothbart claimed on the Web site that Medimax was "the industry leader in the distribution of clinically proven and FDA-approved diagnostic rapid tests." However, the FTC says that the test on his site was not approved for sale in the U.S. The agency intends to stop Medimax from selling unapproved tests and from further misrepresentation regarding its products; they also want him to repay past purchasers.

The FDA has approved only one test kit, Home Access Corp.'s Express HIV Test (through www.homeaccess.com), which when correctly used is completely valid. There is a growing problem of bogus products sold illegally on the Net, and the owner of one such company has already been sent to prison.

Of course, in Austin the better - and cheap/free! - option is to contact the Austin-Travis County Health Department's HIV testing unit at 708-3500. They offer testing at numerous sites all over town. Their service is accurate, they provide counseling, and the test can be just as anonymous as any home kit. And you don't have to draw your own blood either! Give 'em a call.