UK government buys coronavirus tests without scientific validation

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In early August, when the UK government announced it was purchasing 90-minute saliva-based COVID-19 tests called LamPORE and 5,000 lab-free machines to process them, supplied by DNANudge, clinical researchers were dismayed to find that there is no publicly available data about the accuracy or performance of these tests. While the tests could be a game-changer by offering rapid, on-the-spot testing with less discomfort for patients, no scientific research was offered to validate the tests, not even a pre-print, even though Imperial College London claims DNANudge was evaluated in eight London hospitals.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/05/government-buying-90-minute-covid-tests-without-evidence-they-work

Writer: Ravindra Gupta and Dami Collier
Publication: Guardian
Publication date: 2020-08-05

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