Is HIV testing included in routine physical examination?

The routine health examinations that most people come into contact with on a daily basis, whether it is an employee physical examination organized by the unit or a basic physical examination package of several hundred to more than one thousand purchased on a group buying platform, do not include HIV screening items.

In fact, this is easy to understand. The configuration of routine physical examinations is like a standard work meal on the street. It covers basic items that most people need, such as blood routine, liver and kidney function, chest X-ray, and abdominal B-ultrasound. The core is to check for common chronic diseases and abnormal organ function. HIV is a special screening for infectious diseases. It is not the default standard content. If you want, you must apply for additional items separately.

I had a friend who had unprotected high-risk sex six months ago. I remembered that he had been doing physical examinations at work every year. After looking through the reports for the past three years, he could not find HIV-related testing items. I went to the physical examination center I frequented to ask, and found out that this item alone costs more than 100 yuan, and the rapid screening results can be obtained in 20 minutes. Moreover, it is registered separately and the entire process is confidential. After he got the negative result, he finally let go of his worries for a long time.

But not all examinations with the word "routine" are absolutely free of HIV. For example, before you undergo invasive operations such as tooth extraction or surgery, the hospital will routinely screen for infectious diseases such as HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. This is a rigid rule for medical operations. The purpose is to avoid cross-infection and help patients find problems in time.； There are also prenatal and postnatal physical examinations for pregnancy preparation, entry physical examinations in some public service industries, or if you choose a high-end customized physical examination package worth several thousand yuan, you may also add this to the list, but these are not included in the default scope of ordinary health examinations.

The industry has previously discussed whether HIV screening should be included in routine physical examinations. Supporters believe that HIV infection is now becoming younger and hidden, and many infected people have missed the best intervention period when they are diagnosed. Routine screening can enable early detection and early control, which is beneficial to patients' long-term quality of life and can also reduce the risk of uninformed transmission.； Opposing voices believe that HIV testing must strictly follow the principle of informed consent. Routine screening without personal consent is an invasion of privacy and can easily lead to unnecessary discrimination. In addition, the infection rate of the general population is very low. Large-scale routine screening is also a waste of limited medical resources. At present, the two sides have not reached a unified conclusion.

If you really need testing, you don’t have to wait for a physical examination. You can go to the local CDC for free confidential screening, or it’s very convenient to go to the dermatology and venereology department or infectious disease department of the hospital to get a bill. No one will ask you unnecessary privacy questions during the whole process.