UNITAID and the Global Fund expert panel approves the first HIV self-testing product
World Health Organisation (WHO) - "Today marks a significant development in responding to the HIV testing gap with the approval of the first product for HIV self-testing (HIVST) by the UNITAID-funded Expert Review Panel for Diagnostics (ERPD), hosted by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The ERPD outcome is a time-limited, risk-based recommendation on eligibility for procurement in anticipation of a review by WHO prequalification or a national regulatory authority. The approval is particularly timely as many countries are submitting their funding requests to the Global Fund, as well as other donors.
"The expert panel approval of an HIV self-testing product is a critical development, enabling countries to operationalize WHO guidelines and encouraging more people get tested," said Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of WHO's Department of HIV." (Photo: Christian Heuss/Swiss TPH)