The Past, Current Situation, and Future Development of HIV Rapid Testing Policy and Tools in Taiwan

In response to the trends and strategies for international HIV prevention and control and advances in rapid HIV testing techniques, Taiwan Centers for Diseases Control has formulated policies and strategies for the prevention and testing of HIV in Taiwan in accordance with the guidelines of both World Health Organization (WHO) and relevant international literature and the resolutions of both 'Committee of HIV Infection Control and Patient Rights Protection, Ministry of Health and Welfare' and the 'First Program Review Conference on the Elimination of AIDS in 2030'. In this article we elaborate on the history and status of rapid HIV testing policy in Taiwan and the trends in international HIV testing policy and testing process, and also provide an in-depth analysis of HIV testing methods and tools. The government has actively promoted and implemented various plans for HIV prevention and control in recent years, and expanded the use of rapid HIV testing to shorten the window period and to speed up the HIV diagnosis. Various strategies and measures for HIV prevention and control implemented effectively improved the effectiveness of HIV testing and diagnosis, including promoting policy of HIV testing and counseling services, strengthening cross-ministerial collaboration to promote and broaden the implementation of rapid HIV testing, cooperating with professional medical associations closely to enhance the professional knowledge of medical personnel in HIV testing, expediting rapid HIV testing of health care system and public health system, and incorporating rapid HIV testing into health insurance system.