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DPA
New Delhi
India’s federal medical research body on Monday advised state governments to stop using COVID-19 test kits recently acquired from China as they were throwing up variations in results.
At least 500,000 of these rapid antibody test kits were recently procured from two Chinese firms after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) advised their use to assess the spread of COVID-19.
The ICMR, the federal body for medical research, had recommended that these rapid tests be done on every resident in areas with a large number of COVID-19 cases to assess the spread of the disease.
The rapid tests only indicate if an individual has developed antibodies to fight an infection and not if he has the disease. It is a tool for surveillance, according to ICMR chief epidemiologist Raman Gangakhedkar.
Several regions in the country do not have adequate laboratory testing facilities. The ICMR said that after complaints from some states governments about the performance of the kits acquired from Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics, it had evaluated them in field conditions.
“The results have shown wide variation in their sensitivity, despite early promise of good performance for surveillance purposes,” ICMR said.
“In view of this, states are advised to stop using these kits procured from the above-mentioned companies and return them to be sent back to the suppliers.”
New Delhi
India’s federal medical research body on Monday advised state governments to stop using COVID-19 test kits recently acquired from China as they were throwing up variations in results.
At least 500,000 of these rapid antibody test kits were recently procured from two Chinese firms after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) advised their use to assess the spread of COVID-19.
The ICMR, the federal body for medical research, had recommended that these rapid tests be done on every resident in areas with a large number of COVID-19 cases to assess the spread of the disease.
The rapid tests only indicate if an individual has developed antibodies to fight an infection and not if he has the disease. It is a tool for surveillance, according to ICMR chief epidemiologist Raman Gangakhedkar.
Several regions in the country do not have adequate laboratory testing facilities. The ICMR said that after complaints from some states governments about the performance of the kits acquired from Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics, it had evaluated them in field conditions.
“The results have shown wide variation in their sensitivity, despite early promise of good performance for surveillance purposes,” ICMR said.
“In view of this, states are advised to stop using these kits procured from the above-mentioned companies and return them to be sent back to the suppliers.”
