HIV antibody testing methods: 1985-1988.

The first HIV antibody screening assays were licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March of 1985. By late summer of 1985 the insurance industry had begun to utilize these test to assess an individual's risk of developing AIDS. At this point the etiological agent responsible for the disease was thought to be part of a family of viruses known as the Human T-Lymphotrophic Virus and was called HTLV-III. It was later named Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).