U.S. Spending $650 Million to Expand Rapid Confirmatory Testing
U.S. Spending $650 Million to Expand Rapid Confirmatory Testing
(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. will spend $650 million to increase production and access to rapid diagnostic tests that can confirm the results of at-home screening, part of an effort to quickly identify and treat people with Covid-19.
Peope who buy over-the-counter rapid antigen tests at pharmacies may need confirmatory testing to verify the accuracy of the result, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday in a statement. The funds will help ensure such tests are readily available across the country and can provide results quickly, the agency said.
The investment follows the Biden administration’s commitment of more than $3 billion for rapid home tests that may need confirmation. The earlier funding aimed to quadruple the amount of rapid home tests available in the U.S. by December, to about 200 million a month.
Expanded use of those at-home screenings will likely increase demand for rapid molecular testing that can be used to ensure a result is accurate, according to HHS. The technology, thought to be more reliable than the rapid tests typically being used in home settings, is already in use in places like hospitals and clinics.
Experimental pills from Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc. have also shown the ability to keep high-risk people in the early stages of Covid from being hospitalized or dying. Rapid testing may be necessary to make sure they get treatment when the drugs are still effective.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends home test-takers who believe a positive or negative result may be inaccurate speak with a medical provider about whether additional testing may be needed.
The new funding is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that was signed into law in March. It will be used to expand domestic manufacturing as well as for purchases of raw materials and finished tests, HHS said.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.