This report summarizes estimates of health impact and cost-effectiveness of screening for HIV that were created to assess the relative value of most of the clinical preventive services recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the general population. This ranking of clinical prevention priorities is guided by the National Commission on Prevention Priorities (NCPP).

USPSTF Recommendation: The USPSTF recommends screening for HIV in adolescents and adults aged 15 to 65 years and in younger adolescents and older adults who are at increased risk. This an A grade recommendation based on: high accuracy of both rapid and conventional testing; convincing evidence that identification and treatment of HIV infection is associated with a reduced risk of AIDS and AIDS-related events; evidence of the effectiveness of earlier initiation of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART); evidence of reduced HIV transmission; and evidence that harms of earlier treatment are frequently short-lived and that overall harms are small. The estimates in this report may not reflect current USPSTF recommendations. Readers are advised to check for updated recommendations at https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org.