Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that patients self-administering HIV tests trusted their results and would self-test at home. Patients also found the test easy to use and would recommend self-testing to a friend.

More than a million people in the United States are HIV-positive, but 20 percent are unaware of their status. Getting more people tested is therefore crucial for these people to receive life-saving treatment and to prevent them from unknowingly infecting others.

This study suggests that an over-the-counter test may become available one day. The privacy and…