The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) has approved a P19.1-million study that would look into the accuracy of rapid antibody tests in diagnosing the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The study “will generate information on the diagnostic accuracy of rapid antibody tests in diagnosing Covid-19 in a representative sample of Filipinos suspected to have the disease,” the Science chief said. “The analysis will inform on how well rapid antibody tests perform during acute (less than or equal to 14 days) and convalescent (more than 14 days) phase of the disease,” he added. The announcement comes after medical experts, DoH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public against using rapid antibody tests that show inaccurate results. Rapid tests are also not recommended for mass testing and self-testing.

Source: Manila Times July 18, 2020 16:52 UTC