Does the rapid HIV test cost more than the EIA?
Yes. The individual kit is more costly then the per-test cost of the EIA. EIA testing was designed for the automated processing of tests in batches (usually using a plate that can process 96 specimens at one time.) However, an analysis done in 1996 by Dr. Paul Farnham and his colleagues at CDC indicated that rapid HIV testing is more cost-effective than the current EIA-based system, because of the number of persons who actually learn their results. In other words, although EIA is less expensive, it is a waste of money to perform lab tests if the person tested never learns the test result, if two clinic visits are required to get test results, or if the clinic has to send field staff to locate people for test results. Since an EIA does not yield immediate results, most people must make a second visit to learn their results. Experience at publicly funded testing sites has shown that many persons (26% of those who tested positive for HIV and 33% of those who tested negative in 1996) do no
