How the service works
Should you take a test?
Hepatitis C often has no symptoms. The only way to know if you have hepatitis C it is to get tested.
You can become infected with hepatitis C through blood-to-blood contact with someone who has the virus.
Risk factors for hepatitis C include:
sharing needles
unprotected sex with an infected person
blood and organ donations done before 1992
If you’re not sure that you need a test, you can answer some questions to find out if you are at risk.
What happens when you order a test
If you choose to order a test, we'll send you a text message to let you know when your kit has been dispatched. It will arrive through the post in discreet packaging.
When your kit arrives, read through the instructions before using the kit.
If you're using the lab test, you'll need to collect a few drops of blood from your fingertip. Watch our short video to see how to take your sample. Then send the blood sample back to us in the pre-paid return box that comes with the kit.
We'll text you with your results as soon as they are ready.
For the oral self-test you will see your results in 20 minutes. Please use the link we've sent you to share your result with us.
If you need help, you can contact our expert clinical team by replying to any of our text messages.
If you get a reactive result
A reactive result means that the test has reacted with something in your sample that could be a virus, antibodies to a virus, or something else. A reactive result is not the same as a positive result.
If you get a reactive result for hepatitis C, hepatitis B or HIV you'll need another blood test to find out if you currently have an infection. We will refer you to a specialist nurse. They will help you to access a local service that's convenient for you.
If you are diagnosed with hepatitis C, hepatitis B or HIV, you can get free treatment from the HSE.
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