Another Reason to Keep One's Pants Zipped

Better get over that fear of needles, kids!

If you're in need of an HIV test -- the state of Missouri has suspended Oral HIV testing -- and you'll need to get pricked before you go waving yours around willy-nilly.

Here's the info:

Currently all Oral HIV testing in the state of Missouri is temporarily suspended for an unknown period of time. Only testing by blood is currently available. Current blood testing is available through:

--Private physicians
--Community hospitals and clinics
--The St. Louis Health Department
--Planned Parenthood
--Saint Lous Effort for AIDS

Oral HIV testing has been suspended due to the following:

1) There is a nationwide shortage of the chemical reagent that is used to process the OraSure Oral HIV test.
BioMerieux (BMX), the company that produces this reagent, is working on the shortage. As of early this week, we do not have a timeline of when we can expect this issue to be resolved. The State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL) has been in contact with the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) who is attempting to obtain more information and updates regarding this issue.

2) The St. Louis region is over the allotment that the state has allowed for our region.
More Oral HIV Tests have been submitted from the St. Louis Region than the SPHL has budgeted (or has supplies) to test. It is our understanding that the Metro AIDS staff is working to resolve this situation; however, until the reagent issue is resolved, the St. Louis region will need to hold off on testing.

The State does not have a timeline for this to be resolved.