Rising Beyond HIV: The transformative influence of molecular testing

Join Akil on a journey of discovery as we learn more about the pivotal role of molecular testing in preventing new HIV infections.

From assay performance requirements to uncovering the development of molecular assays such as the Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx Assay, we sit down with experts to discuss the reasons why HIV viral load monitoring is paramount in the fight against HIV.

We asked a clinician from South Carolina, Dr. Ada D. Stewart, MD, FAAFP about the impact of testing in her practice. Dr. Stewart is a family physician with Cooperative Health in Columbia, South Carolina, and a board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Stewart was recognized in 2017 for her dedicated service in hepatitis C treatment and prevention by the South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council and in April 2018 by the South Carolina Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women with the Health Award in recognition of her contributions to the health of the community in Columbia. In 2019, Stewart was named to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS and still serves on that council.

We also visited a laboratory and interviewed Dr. Frieda Jordan, CHS, PhD, the co-founder and president of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry. She has served as associate director of the HLA and Immunogenetics Laboratory at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and heads the DNA Molecular Typing Division at Foundation Laboratory, in Los Angeles. Dr. Frieda Jordan, was among a group of 15 California women who were honored by Senator Anthony Portantino in March 2023, on the occasion of Women’s History Month. The honorees were recognized by Senator Anthony Portantino.

Finally, we discuss with married couple Ja’Mel Ware, 33, and Alphonso Mills, 30 about their HIV diagnosis. We discuss how HIV viral load monitoring test results impacts their everyday lives and why they see the lab as a critical partner in their race against disease.

Finally, this video also discusses the U=U campaigns or Undetectable = Untransmissible, exploring the integration of treatment, viral load monitoring in prevention programs also called TASP or Treatment as Prevention. We cover: 1. How HIV molecular assay test results impact people living with HIV 2. HIV testing guidelines 3. The importance of accurate Viral Load monitoring in reaching U=U

(Video run time: 13m 27s)