People worried they might have HIV will soon be able to find out if they are infected in the comfort of their homes, British officials say.
At present it is illegal in the UK to do an HIV test at home and read the result yourself - people can take a sample themselves, send it off for testing in a laboratory and receive the result at a later date.
But officials are planning to change the outdated laws so people can perform a simple saliva test at home which will quickly give the user a "negative or a positive indication".
Health experts hope making tests more readily available will help reduce infection rates.
Last November, the Health Protection Agency said a record number of people in the UK were living with HIV, with the number with the virus reaching nearly 100,000.
But health officials warned that a quarter of those who have the human immunodeficiency virus are not aware they have been infected.
Officials from the Department of Health are expected to say home testing may help people detect their infection earlier, which could lead to more effective treatment options and reduce the infection spreading.
Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National AIDS Trust, said: "With around 25,000 people in the UK living with HIV without knowing it, it is vital we offer as many options as possible to take an HIV test.
"Self-testing kits have an important role to play in reaching people who are uncomfortable or unable to test in a sexual health clinic or other healthcare setting.
"We know that some people are already buying poor quality self-testing kits online from overseas which is why NAT have campaigned for a change in the law."
