Ministers have been urged to prove the effectiveness of two new rapid coronavirus tests purchased to bolster Britain's fight against the pandemic. The tests, which provide results in 90 minutes, are set to be rolled out from next week, with one being simple enough for use in airports, offices, pubs, and restaurants.
Despite being hailed as 'life-saving' by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, no publicly available data exists on their accuracy. Experts have called on Number 10 to release research on the devices, warning that past mistakes in purchasing inaccurate tests have 'put lives at risk'. Professor Jon Deeks, a medical statistician at Birmingham University, emphasised the importance of independent evaluations before implementation.
The government has previously wasted millions on Covid tests that later proved inaccurate, including two types of antibody tests from China. The Department of Health confirmed it had to cancel orders worth £70 million for tests that turned out to be faulty, with £20 million potentially unrecoverable.
One of the new tests, made by London-based DNANudge, will be launched next month. It analyses DNA from nose swabs using a device called a NudgeBox. The other, called LamPORE by Oxford Nanopore, uses saliva samples. Both companies claim the tests are similar in cost or cheaper than current tests, which are around £18 privately.
The government placed a £161 million order for 5.8 million DNANudge tests, equating to £27 per swab. However, one of the kits has yet to receive a CE mark, the European seal of approval, while UK regulators granted the other an 'exceptional use authorisation'. Similar rapid diagnostic tests have been approved in the US for months.
