4 ms·

The issue is presumably that free, easily accessible and anonymous testing is not available in San Francisco. Where it's available, you just do a blood test ev

by devit 5y ago

The issue is presumably that free, easily accessible and anonymous testing is not available in San Francisco. Where it's available, you just do a blood test every 3 months, test for HIV and syphilis and start therapy if positive.

metalliqaz 5y ago
Are those tests practical? In the article, it says that diagnosis is not easy.
- devit 5y ago
  It's just a normal blood test, routinely done as part of STD screening along with the HIV test.
- zabzonk 5y ago
  Diagnosis of syphilis is pretty straightforward, given a reasonable-sized blood sample - there are several simple tests (which tend to have quite high false-positive rates, which is good for a screening test) and then you can do something more complex and specific like imuno-fluorescence. Speaking as an ex microbiologist.
kjakm 5y ago
Maybe this will change post-Covid? In my city (not-US) you can order an STD test kit online, provide a small blood sample (pin prick and then fill small tube from finger) + urine sample, post it back (free), and get the results texted back to you (or on your online account) in a few days. It's 100% free. Maybe governments will see more value in catching these things and stopping them before they spread further.
- bregma 5y ago
  In my country sending biohazard materials through the post is illegal. You need specially-licensed couriers to transport it. This is in fact a reasonable restriction. The same restriction that applies to explosives or nuclear materials. There's also the very real problem of personal data security here, at many levels. This sounds like a poorly conceived services ripe for exploitation.
  - kjakm 5y ago
    Could you explain some of the risks you see? The service is run by the NHS (national health service) and materials are posted back in sealed containers + fixed in a box. The chance of the materials coming into contact with a postman are minuscule. He could jump on the package and it would likely stay in tact.
skciva 5y ago
Agreed. Last time I went for an annual physical I decided to get some blood work done, including some STD tests. With insurance I had to pay close to $200. We really shoot ourselves in the foot in the US by (among other things) not having easier access to testing of all sorts.
- ed25519FUUU 5y ago
  Didn’t we shoot ourselves in the foot by choosing to have unprotected sex because basically if feels better and that’s what people care about more right now? We’re talking about preventable diseases here.
refurb 5y ago
You can have a lot of different partners between tests. Seems like a huge gap.
at_a_remove 5y ago
As always, when someone presents a solution with "just," it's hastily-conceived and leaves out a lot. You have only two STDs in your list. Many more exist. You've got your herpes, your clap, multiple strains of HPV. Then you've got nasty old Hep C lurking around, making A and B look like chumps. There's oodles of them and treatment isn't just a wave of the script pad for some.

by devit 5y ago

metalliqaz 5y ago

Are those tests practical? In the article, it says that diagnosis is not easy.

devit 5y ago
It's just a normal blood test, routinely done as part of STD screening along with the HIV test.
zabzonk 5y ago
Diagnosis of syphilis is pretty straightforward, given a reasonable-sized blood sample - there are several simple tests (which tend to have quite high false-positive rates, which is good for a screening test) and then you can do something more complex and specific like imuno-fluorescence. Speaking as an ex microbiologist.

kjakm 5y ago

Maybe this will change post-Covid? In my city (not-US) you can order an STD test kit online, provide a small blood sample (pin prick and then fill small tube from finger) + urine sample, post it back (free), and get the results texted back to you (or on your online account) in a few days. It's 100% free. Maybe governments will see more value in catching these things and stopping them before they spread further.

bregma 5y ago
In my country sending biohazard materials through the post is illegal. You need specially-licensed couriers to transport it. This is in fact a reasonable restriction. The same restriction that applies to explosives or nuclear materials. There's also the very real problem of personal data security here, at many levels. This sounds like a poorly conceived services ripe for exploitation.
- kjakm 5y ago
  Could you explain some of the risks you see? The service is run by the NHS (national health service) and materials are posted back in sealed containers + fixed in a box. The chance of the materials coming into contact with a postman are minuscule. He could jump on the package and it would likely stay in tact.

skciva 5y ago

Agreed. Last time I went for an annual physical I decided to get some blood work done, including some STD tests. With insurance I had to pay close to $200. We really shoot ourselves in the foot in the US by (among other things) not having easier access to testing of all sorts.

ed25519FUUU 5y ago
Didn’t we shoot ourselves in the foot by choosing to have unprotected sex because basically if feels better and that’s what people care about more right now? We’re talking about preventable diseases here.

refurb 5y ago

You can have a lot of different partners between tests. Seems like a huge gap.

at_a_remove 5y ago

As always, when someone presents a solution with "just," it's hastily-conceived and leaves out a lot. You have only two STDs in your list. Many more exist. You've got your herpes, your clap, multiple strains of HPV. Then you've got nasty old Hep C lurking around, making A and B look like chumps. There's oodles of them and treatment isn't just a wave of the script pad for some.