National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) was first observed on June 27, 1995. This is a day to encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their status, and get linked to care and treatment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2022, an estimated 1.2 million people in the United States had HIV, but 13 percent of people with HIV did not know their HIV status. HIV testing is the pathway to engage people in care and help them stay healthy, regardless of the test result. People who have a positive HIV test can start antiretroviral therapy (ART) to stay healthy. People who have a negative HIV test can learn how to access HIV prevention options like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and condoms. CDC recommends that everyone aged 13–64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. People with certain risk factors—such as having sex with someone who has HIV, sharing needles or drug injection equipment, or being treated for another sexually transmitted infection (STI)—should be tested for HIV at least once per year.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) HIV research program, coordinated by the NIH Office of AIDS Research, supports research into new technology that will make it easier for people to get tested for HIV. NIH also conducts research to understand the best strategies to encourage HIV testing and improve access to HIV prevention and treatment services.