Exclusive: Tests secured by billionaire’s Minderoo Foundation from China for $200m have a shelf life of six monthsFears millions of Covid-19 testing kits Australia bought from Andrew Forrest could go to wasteThe 10m Covid-19 testing kits purchased from Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation have a shelf life of six months, prompting concerns the government’s massive acquisition may cause wastage. Uptake has been limited among public pathology providers, and the government has decided to send some BGI tests to the national medical stockpile to sit in reserve. Short shelf life is a common problem in healthcare supply chains and is far from unique to the BGI tests. That extraction kit – used in the process of Covid-19 testing – has a longer shelf life of 12 months. “The BGI Covid-19 testing capability is supporting our strong public health response and bolstering Australia’s future capacity to test for Covid-19,” she said.

Source: The Guardian June 30, 2020 17:26 UTC