Together TakeMeHome expands HIV self-testing in the U.S.

This March marked the launch of an Emory-led collaborative project, Together TakeMeHome, the largest nationwide HIV self-testing program to date. The program, initiated in response to a decline in the number of HIV tests administered during the COVID-19 pandemic, is designed to increase awareness of HIV status in the U.S. by making HIV testing more accessible, convenient, and discreet.

Together TakeMeHome provides free HIV self-tests by mail to residents of all 50 states and Puerto Rico who enroll through its website. The HIV self-tests are Food and Drug Administration-approved OraQuick (OraSure Technologies Inc.) devices that use mouth swabs and take only 20 minutes to get a result.

Visitors to the Together TakeMeHome website will also find information and resources on using the self-test, what to do based on the result, and how to access other services related to HIV prevention and overall sexual health. Trained staff will be available to provide referrals to HIV prevention and care services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the medicine that prevents HIV.

“Our goal is to provide up to 1 million HIV self-tests over the five-year program,” says Travis Sanchez, DVM, MPH, professor of epidemiology and the program’s executive director. “By giving people an easy option to know their HIV status, Together TakeMeHome can help people, particularly those disproportionately affected by HIV, take this first important step in preventing and treating HIV.” 

Together TakeMeHome involves several organizations, including Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC), Signal Group, Orasure Technologies, and NASTAD (the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors).

The project expands on BHOC’s TakeMeHome HIV self-testing program and on a national demonstration project that took place in 2021 when Emory, BHOC, and other partners worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to distribute 100,000 free HIV self-tests in eight months.

Together TakeMeHome distributed more than 175,000 HIV self-test kits across all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. during its first phase and preparations for the next phase are currently underway.