Magic Johnson Teams with PA Company to Promote HIV Testing

The contest — "Make Knowing Your Thing" — asks people to send in a video explaining why they decided to get tested.

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Bethlehem, Pa.-based company OraSure — maker of an in-home rapid HIV test called OraQuick — is teaming with basketball legend Magic Johnson to launch a nationwide awareness campaign that encourages people to know their status.

The contest — called “Make Knowing Your Thing Today” — asks people to send in a video explaining why they decided to get tested. The answer should be pretty easy: Because it’s a damn smart thing to do — especially in the gay community. When announcing the competition, OraSure released the following CDC stat: “Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) represent approximately 2% of the US population, yet are the population most severely affected by HIV … HIV/AIDS is a serious public health issue for this group in which HIV infections continue to grow — risky sexual behavior being the most common gateway to new infections.”

In his video to kickoff the contest, Johnson says he’s backing the campaign because, “We need to have an open and honest dialogue about HIV/AIDS to help remove the stigma around testing, so more people get tested. The more people we get to join the conversation, the more powerful the message will be: Testing for HIV/AIDS can save lives. It’s everyone’s thing.”

Click here to submit a 30-second, less-than-150-word video. The winning entry will be featured in an upcoming national OraQuick promotion.

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