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Grindr Offers Users Free HIV Test Kits

LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr is enabling users to order an at-home HIV test kit for free, as part of a new partnership with the Together TakeMeHome initiative. Users will be able to access this process through the app, removing some of the barriers that make testing difficult.

The initiative, led by Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC) is part of its ongoing work to support gay men’s sexual health. In this new partnership with Grindr, US-based users can order an at-home HIV test kit in less than a minute, similar to the COVID-19 test kit process.

Anyone in the US, including Puerto Rico, will be able to order two test kits every 90 days. In a recent blog post about the initiative, Grindr promised that no data will be collected during this process. 

The dating app explained that its users often face barriers to HIV testing, including costs, transportation, privacy concerns, fear of judgement, and the availability of health clinics. This initiative looks to remove some of these barriers.

Over the last 3 years, the TakeMeHome programme has given away over 125,000 of these test kits, with one-third going to those testing for the first time. Grindr shares this achievement shows “the power and innovation that comes from bringing these partners together”.

Looking ahead, Grindr wants to expand this to more countries, with the initiative’s current aim to give out one million kits over a 5 year period. 

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