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From: marco@ozdaltx.UUCP (Steve Giammarco)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: Re: HIV Testing of Blood Samples
Keywords: Blood Testing
Message-ID: <1991Feb27.114140.7026@cs.ucla.edu>
Date: 26 Feb 91 18:29:55 GMT
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There has been some discussion about ELISA tests for HIV-antibody
costing $30.            

FYI: The actual cost of the test in laboratories designed to batch 
said tests together ranges from $2.67 to $6.00 each. This is the cost
of the test kit. Add in overhead and the cost of drawing the sample
and we're probably at $10.00 each draw (no counseling involved).

A negative ELISA stops at one test kit used.  Labs charge $30 to spread
the extra cost of retesting HIV+ samples onto the whole test group to
encourage flat fee pricing.
 
DEPENDING ON LOCALE, a blood donation is probably tested just once. 
HIV+ = Scrap the unit and contact the donor.  HIV- = Use the unit.
Screening samples is nowhere near $30 each.  It is lower than $10
most likely.  

-- 
Steve Giammarco        5330 Peterson Ln #1211 Dallas TX 75240      214.788.0976
AIDS Resource Center   4012 Cedar Springs Rd  Dallas TX 75219      214.521.5124
X.400(C:USA A:Western Union N:Steve Giammarco D:ELN-62847823) Easylink:62847823
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