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DPA
London
The British regulatory authority responsible for medical products has ordered the recall of hundreds of thousands of coronavirus tests after they were found not to be safe for use.
Up to 741,000 tests from the Randox company are affected, the British government confirmed on Saturday. It said that it had been notified in mid-July that some kits did not meet safety standards and thus the kits should be returned and no longer used, with immediate effect.
In March, Randox had received an order worth 133 million pounds (173.6 million dollars) from the British government to provide coronavirus testing kits, among other things.
According to the Guardian newspaper, the order was placed without a tender, a move justified by Britain’s urgent need to rapidly expand its testing capacity.
However, critics have noted that a leading member of the ruling Conservative party, Owen Paterson, acts as a consultant for the company. He receives about 100,000 pounds annually for his work, according to British parliament.
The test recall is one of a series of mishaps and dubious dealings connected with the pandemic. On Thursday, it was revealed that some 50 million protective masks purchased by the Health Department were found unsuitable for use by National Health Service employees.
London
The British regulatory authority responsible for medical products has ordered the recall of hundreds of thousands of coronavirus tests after they were found not to be safe for use.
Up to 741,000 tests from the Randox company are affected, the British government confirmed on Saturday. It said that it had been notified in mid-July that some kits did not meet safety standards and thus the kits should be returned and no longer used, with immediate effect.
In March, Randox had received an order worth 133 million pounds (173.6 million dollars) from the British government to provide coronavirus testing kits, among other things.
According to the Guardian newspaper, the order was placed without a tender, a move justified by Britain’s urgent need to rapidly expand its testing capacity.
However, critics have noted that a leading member of the ruling Conservative party, Owen Paterson, acts as a consultant for the company. He receives about 100,000 pounds annually for his work, according to British parliament.
The test recall is one of a series of mishaps and dubious dealings connected with the pandemic. On Thursday, it was revealed that some 50 million protective masks purchased by the Health Department were found unsuitable for use by National Health Service employees.
