Do It Yourself?

Diabetics can self-monitor the levels of glucose in their blood to help determine whether their treatment is working, so why shouldn't HIVers be able to similarly keep tabs on their own disease? That's precisely what the U.K. government asserted in May when it issued a $3 million grant for the development of a handheld, finger-prick blood test to measure viral loads, look for signs of drug-resistance, and screen for other biomarkers of disease progression. "It will empower HIV patients to keep a close eye on their health and their treatments," says Anna-Maria Goretti, a consultant for the U.K. National Health Service.