At-home testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) got new attention from US health experts this month. On October 26, 2026, four scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a Viewpoint in JAMA Internal Medicine, "Self-Testing for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections—Update for Clinicians in the US." Days earlier, a Kaiser Permanente study found that online STI testing reached people at higher risk. And on October 9, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set formal rules for mail-in STI kits. Here is what each one says and what it means if you're dating.

The CDC Viewpoint: an update for clinicians

The Viewpoint is by Robyn Neblett Fanfair, Laura H. Bachmann, Robin J. MacGowan and Allison Lale of CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. The journal says it "discusses the advantages and disadvantages of self-tests for HIV and sexually transmitted infections." A Viewpoint is an expert opinion piece, not a new study or a CDC guideline. We could not access the full text, so we are not reporting its specific recommendations.

Its reference list shows the evidence it draws on, including:

• A CDC-led randomized trial (2020). Among 2,665 men who have sex with men recruited online, those mailed HIV self-tests were far more likely to test three or more times in a year (76.6% vs 22.0%), and twice as many new HIV infections were found in that group (1.9% vs 0.8%).
• CDC's mail-order program (MMWR, 2024). In its first year, Together TakeMeHome sent 443,813 HIV self-tests to 219,360 people. Of those who answered its questionnaire, 24.1% had never been tested for HIV.
• A global review (2024). Across studies, 92% of people with a reactive HIV self-test were linked to confirmatory testing, but only 9% of people with a non-reactive result were linked to PrEP services.

That last finding is the gap to watch: a self-test is a starting point, and the next step is where people can fall through the cracks.

New data: online STI ordering reached people at higher risk

In a study published October 22 in Clinical Infectious Diseases, Kaiser Permanente Northern California researchers looked at 979,557 adults who had STI testing from February 2022 to December 2024. About 15% (150,128 people) used an "e-visit," an online questionnaire that lets members order lab-based STI tests without seeing a clinician first. E-visit users were younger and more likely to have had an STI before, and 14.7% were diagnosed with an STI, compared with 2.8% of people tested other ways.

Kaiser Permanente says the e-visit automatically adds syphilis testing, makes HIV screening opt-out, offers throat and rectal swabs, and lets users ask about HIV PrEP. The authors caution that results from one integrated health system may not apply everywhere.

FDA sets rules for mail-in STI kits

The FDA's October 9 final order creates a device category for kits that let people collect their own samples at home and send them to a lab to check for STIs caused by non-viral organisms, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. The category is class II with special controls, including data showing that lay users can collect each sample type correctly without a health care provider supervising. The FDA says the move will "enhance patients' access to beneficial innovative devices, in part by reducing regulatory burdens." It does not cover HIV or herpes, and it doesn't approve any specific new product.

What you can test for at home today

CDC's STI testing page lists FDA-approved self-tests for HIV and syphilis, an FDA-approved vaginal-swab self-test for gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis, and FDA-approved mail-in options for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Herpes and HPV are not on that list. For herpes, see our guides to herpes blood tests and what routine STD panels can miss.

Reading a self-test result, according to CDC

• A positive HIV self-test needs a follow-up test from a health care provider to confirm it.
• A negative result may be too early. Most rapid tests and self-tests are antibody tests, which CDC says can usually detect HIV 23 to 90 days after an exposure. If you test soon after a possible exposure, test again after the window period.
• Your result is yours alone. A negative HIV test doesn't tell you a partner's status.
• Keep a clinician in the loop, even when results come from a self-test or mail-in kit. CDC also points to free or low-cost confidential testing.

Making testing a normal part of dating

• Ask what a test covered. "Which infections, and which body sites?" is a fair question for anyone.
• Consider testing together. CDC suggests it so you both know your HIV status.
• Remember U=U. CDC says people with HIV who take treatment as prescribed and keep an undetectable viral load will not transmit HIV to sexual partners. See our U=U explainer.
• Share on your own timeline. No one should pressure you about results, timing or sex. Disclosure expectations and legal duties vary by state. Our guide on how to tell someone you have HIV may help.
• Stay safe. Meet in public first, tell a friend where you're going, and keep consent clear and ongoing.

Quick FAQ

Did CDC change its testing recommendations?

No. The JAMA Internal Medicine piece is a Viewpoint by CDC scientists, not a new CDC guideline.

Can I test for herpes at home?

CDC's list of FDA-approved self-tests and mail-in options doesn't include herpes or HPV. Talk with a clinician about herpes testing.

What does the FDA rule change?

It sets the accuracy and safety requirements future mail-in kits for non-viral STIs must meet, including proof that people can collect samples correctly at home.

The bottom line

CDC scientists, new Kaiser Permanente data and a new FDA rule point the same way: testing outside the clinic is a growing part of US sexual health care, and the follow-up step still matters. A clinician can help you confirm results and choose next steps. If you're ready to meet people who treat testing as normal self-care, explore STD dating on MeetPositives.

Sources

• Fanfair RN, Bachmann LH, MacGowan RJ, Lale A. Self-Testing for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections—Update for Clinicians in the US. JAMA Intern Med. Published online October 26, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.5186.
• Thornton AV, Clutter D, et al. Electronic Visit Use for Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing in a Large Integrated Healthcare System. Clin Infect Dis. Published online October 22, 2026. doi:10.1093/cid/ciag532; Kaiser Permanente Division of Research news release, October 22, 2026.
• FDA. Final order classifying systems for detection of nucleic acid from non-viral microorganism(s) causing STIs using home-collected specimens. 91 FR 64611, October 9, 2026 (21 CFR 866.3385).
• MacGowan RJ, et al. JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180(1):117-125. Sanchez T, et al. MMWR. 2024;73(24):558-564. Zhang Y, et al. J Int AIDS Soc. 2024;27(12):e26388.
• CDC, "Getting Tested for STIs" (March 17, 2026); "Self Testing," Let's Stop HIV Together; "HIV Treatment as Prevention" (cdc.gov).

This article is for general information only and is not medical or legal advice. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Talk with a licensed health care provider about your own situation. Laws vary by state; for legal questions, talk with a licensed attorney.