Trial results for a study on HIV self-testing with online supervision for Vietnamese men who have sex with men (MSM) were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-12-17, showing that the intervention group had 0 new HIV positive cases at 12 months compared to 2 in the control group.
Background
Global rates of HIV infection have decreased overall, but rates among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Southeast Asia are increasing. A review of global data and molecular epidemiology of HIV among MSM in the region suggests that targeted interventions for MSM populations are necessary to reduce HIV incidence. In Vietnam's urban centers, the HIV epidemic among MSM is growing rapidly, with an estimated prevalence of 17% in Ho Chi Minh City and an estimated incidence of 5.8% among young men who have sex with men in Hanoi.
Trial design
This completed study enrolled 100 participants to evaluate HIV self-testing with online supervision among Vietnamese men who have sex with men (MSM). The trial involved two groups: an HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision group and a Control group. The study was not assigned a specific phase.
Key results
The trial results provided several key measurements over the study period:
- At baseline, 50 participants in the HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision group and 44 in the Control group reported HIV self-testing with online supervision in the past 6 months.
- The prevalence of HIV positive among young MSM at baseline was 2 participants in the HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision group and 0 in the Control group.
- At 6 months, 46 participants in the HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision group and 38 in the Control group reported HIV self-testing with online supervision in the past 6 months.
- The prevalence of HIV positive among young MSM at 6 months was 0 participants in the HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision group and 1 in the Control group.
- At 12 months, 45 participants in the HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision group and 35 in the Control group reported HIV self-testing with online supervision in the past 6 months.
- The prevalence of HIV positive among young MSM at 12 months was 0 participants in the HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision group and 2 in the Control group.
What this means
The posted results suggest that HIV self-testing with online supervision may be associated with a lower prevalence of HIV positive cases among young men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vietnam. At 12 months, the intervention group, which utilized HIV self-testing with online supervision, reported 0 HIV positive participants, while the control group reported 2 HIV positive participants. This trend was also observed at 6 months, with 0 HIV positive participants in the intervention group compared to 1 in the control group. The data also indicates a consistent engagement with self-testing in the intervention group, with 45 participants reporting self-testing at 12 months, compared to 35 in the control group. These findings imply that such an intervention could be a valuable tool in reducing HIV incidence within this specific population, particularly in regions experiencing a growing epidemic among MSM.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05797961, titled 'HIV Self-testing With Online Supervision for Vietnamese MSM', were posted on 2025-12-17 on clinicaltrials.gov.