(CNN) The US Food and Drug Administration on Saturday announced it has issued an emergency use authorization that allows the laboratory Quest Diagnostics to pool samples from up to four individuals to test for Covid-19. This is the first Covid-19 diagnostic test in the United States to be authorized for use with pooled samples, the agency said in a statement. "Sample pooling becomes especially important as infection rates decline and we begin testing larger portions of the population." If the pool tests positive, this means one or more of the people tested in that pool may be infected with the virus. The FDA last month published guidance for developers that want to make and use tests for pooled samples.

Source: CNN July 18, 2020 17:59 UTC