Abbott receives FDA approval for HIV screening test

ABBOTT PARK, Ill. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a fully automated blood screening test for HIV.

Abbott Labs announced the approval Monday, calling the Prism HIV O Plus test the first of its kind. The test screens donated blood for the HIV-1 and HIV-2 strains, running 160 samples per hour.

“Abbott has a strong heritage in HIV assay development, beginning in 1985 with the first blood-screening test for HIV approved in the United States,” Abbott SVP diagnostics Mike Warmuth said in a statement. “The approval of Abbott Prism HIV O Plus marks an important milestone as we continue our leadership in HIV and our work to ensure the safety of the world’s blood supply.”