Patients joining practices in high risk areas should be screened for HIV as it is cost-effective and saves lives, researchers in London today.
The conclusions come from a new analysis of a project in Hackney, London.
The researchers at Queen Mary, University of London, say it is possible that HIV screening could save money – through preventing late diagnosis of the infection.
They report their findings in The Lancet HIV.
Some 40 practices took part in the original study, finding that finger-price testing increased diagnosis rates by four times.
The researchers say that running screening in 11 districts with the highest HIV prevalence would cost £600,000.
The findings of the latest study depend heavily on estimates of costs of treating late-diagnosed disease.
The researchers say that projects would become cost-effective in at least 33 years – but may even save costs. By these criteria, they would meet national guidelines for the cost of saving lives.
Researcher Dr Werner Leber said: “We’ve shown that HIV screening in UK primary care is cost effective and potentially cost saving, which is contrary to widespread belief. This is an important finding given today’s austerity.
"Financial pressures, particularly within local authority’s public health budgets, mean that the costs of HIV testing are under intense scrutiny, and in some areas investment in testing has fallen.”
Cost-effectiveness of screening for HIV in primary care: a health economics modelling analysis Lancet HIV 31 July 2017 [abstract]
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