OraQuick Review – Should You Get Tested?

OraQuick is an at-home HIV test that involves sticking your saliva into a tube to determine the presence of HIV. Here’s our OraQuick review.

What is OraQuick?

OraQuick is an FDA-approved -in home HIV test available over the counter (OTC).

The test kit consists of a test stick (the device) that collects your saliva. Then, you place that stick inside the test tube (the vial) to complete the test.

The test works by checking your saliva for antibodies related to HIV Type 1 and HIV Type 2, which are the two viruses that cause AIDS.

OraQuick has quickly become popular because it’s a discrete way to check your body for symptoms of HIV. You can purchase the testing kit at most pharmacies across America, where it’s priced at around $40.

How Does OraQuick Work?

After opening your OraQuick kit, you collect a sample of your saliva using the test stick.

Then, you insert the device into the kit’s vial containing a developer solution. You wait 20 to 40 minutes and then read the test results.

The test will either come back positive or negative. A positive test does not definitively mean that you are infected with HIV. Instead, that positive test result simply suggests that you should undergo formal medical testing in a hospital setting to confirm the result.

Additionally, negative HIV tests do not definitively mean that you do not have HIV – especially if the exposure has taken place within the past 3 months.

Whether the test is positive or negative, it’s recommended that you take a test in a formal medical setting to confirm your diagnosis.

How Reliable is OraQuick?

The first question you should be asking about OraQuick is whether or not it’s reliable. The manufacturer states that a positive or negative test result with OraQuick does not definitively mean you’re positive or negative for HIV.

However, as the FDA reports, clinical studies on the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test kit have shown that the kit “has an expected performance of approximately 92% for test sensitivity”, which means that one false negative result is expected out of every 12 test results in individuals with HIV.

The test is far more accurate at displaying negative results: clinical studies show that the kit has “an expected performance of 99.98%” when HIV is not present. In other words, one false positive result would be expected out of every 5,000 test results in uninfected individuals.

Ultimately, OraQuick is not 100% accurate, but it’s fairly accurate. The manufacturer repeatedly emphasizes the importance of using the device exactly as instructed – and also that you should undergo a formal HIV test to confirm your diagnosis when possible.

What Does FDA Approval Mean?

OraQuick is an FDA-approved in-home HIV testing system. That FDA approval rating is important. It means that the manufacturer of OraQuick has submitted adequate test results to the FDA. These test results have confirmed the effectiveness and usefulness of the device.

There are other in-home HIV testing systems on the market today, although many of these systems are unapproved by the FDA. Here’s what the FDA has to say about unapproved in-home HIV testing systems:

“The manufacturers of unapproved test systems have not submitted data to FDA in order for FDA to review and determine whether their test systems can reliably detect HIV infection. Therefore, FDA cannot give the public any assurance that the results obtained using an unapproved test system are accurate.”

Who Makes OraQuick?

OraQuick is made by OraSure Technologies. The company was launched in 1994 and has long specialized in oral detection of HIV.

In 1994, OraSure Technologies first obtained approval for an oral specimen collection device for HIV-1 designed to be used in conjunction with laboratory tests.

In 2012, OraSure introduced the first in-home oral HIV test to be approved by the FDA – OraQuick.

Today, OraSure products are sold to medical facilities around the world. The company is based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

How to Buy OraQuick

OraQuick is available at many major retailers across America and is also available online. To find a retail location near you, look at OraQuick’s “Where to Buy” section here: Oraquick.com/where-to-buy

Some of the major retailers that carry OraQuick include Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger, CVS, and Drugstore.com.

You can also purchase OraQuick directly from the official product website, where it’s priced at $39.99 (plus $9.99 for standard shipping).

OraQuick is currently only available in the United States.

Should You Use OraQuick to Test Your Saliva for HIV?

OraQuick is a legitimate medical product created by a reputable manufacturer with a history of delivering accurate HIV testing devices to medical facilities around the world.

Since 2012, the OraQuick in-home testing device has been used to help patients decide whether or not they should undergo formal HIV testing. It’s not 100% accurate, however, and the manufacturer repeatedly reminds you to undergo formal testing if you’re unsure of your diagnosis.

When used correctly, the device will detect HIV successfully in 11 out of 12 HIV positive individuals and display a false positive diagnosis in 1 out of every 5000 non-HIV positive individuals.