Health authorities ask people not to buy COVID-19 test kits online

[webfact]

 

By Tanakorn Sangiam

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health is maintaining its recommendation for people to seek COVID-19 screening using the less time consuming antigen test method at hospitals, as health authorities are still working on guidelines for self-tests at home. The Thai FDA says no FDA-approved test kits have received clearance for home use yet, urging the general public not to buy the ones being sold in online marketplaces.

 

The Ministry of Public Health’s (MOPH) Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn today announced the antigen test kits for COVID-19 screening are still only available for use in hospital settings, to help ease the congestion at labs and clinics offering RT-PCR tests.

 

Currently, people suspected of exposure to COVID-19, or exhibiting suspicious symptoms, are advised to visit a hospital, community clinic, Bangkok’s city health clinic, or a mobile testing site where antigen tests are being offered.

 

Unlike the complicated and more time consuming RT-PCR method, antigen tests can provide a result within 15-30 minutes. This testing method is however not as sensitive or accurate as the RT-PCR method, with more likelihood of false positive or false negative readings.

 

Dr Thongchai said false positives from antigen tests could be a result of contamination or failure to observe all steps of the instructions correctly. A false negative, on the other hand, could be the result of a low viral load during the early stage of infection, or an inadequate specimen collection method.

 

Facilities now providing antigen tests will have a protocol in place to take care of people testing positive, which usually includes another RT-PCR test for confirmation. People testing negative using the antigen test may need to self-isolate and receive another test after a period of time, for safety.

 

Dr Thongchai said the Ministry of Public Health has yet to recommend the use of antigen test kits for self-tests at home, however they intend to do so in the near future.

 

Thailand’s Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Deputy Secretary General Dr Surachoke Tangwiwat said today that currently no FDA-approved COVID-19 test kits have been cleared for consumer use at home.

 

Manufacturers are now in the process of submitting their product instructions for the general consumer for FDA review, with five companies expected to start rolling out their test kits for the general consumer this month.

 

Dr Surachoke said test kits are expected to start entering the market first at hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies from today. Customers are encouraged to purchase the kits from these venues to receive a correct explanation on the usage from the staff.

 

With more companies expected to seek FDA clearance for consumer use of their test kits, the FDA will be posting the list of approved sellers on its website as a point of reference.

 

The FDA discourages the general public from purchasing these test kits from online marketplaces. Sellers may however, advertise their products online, subject to authorization, for purchases at healthcare facilities, clinics, or pharmacies only.

 

The Ministry of Commerce’s Permanent Secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit, says the Ministry is planning to list COVID-19 antigen test kits as price controled goods, upon request from the Ministry of Public Health.

 

He said test kits are usually categorized as medical equipment, which are currently regulated through another set of laws, while the clear costs of imported test kits might not be obtainable.

 

The Ministry of Commerce will be issuing a letter of inquiry to the Ministry of Public Health to see whether they want to impose a price control.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-07-17

 

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[sammieuk1]

Don't buy any online kits privately wait for the governments mark up first ???? 

[ukrules]

These are in use throughout the world, I suggest people do whatever they want and ignore these idiots.

 

[Laughing Gravy]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

These are in use throughout the world, I suggest people do whatever they want and ignore these idiots.

 

You are right. Of course the clowns running the circus don't want this as their numbers will go up exponentially. Not part of their tourism reopening plan.

[ikke1959]

Don't buy test kits on the internet.. we don't earn anything about them so they are not good.. Buy only test kits from us.. They are better or worse, but better for our wallet..Please let our bank accounts grow

[impulse]

Meanwhile computer experts ask the public not to buy discount high capacity USB and SD cards online, no matter how much money they can save...

 

Sometimes, it's good advice.  Especially if there are speeling misteks on the box.

 

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by impulse

[ezzra]

Apparently, the laws in Thailand says ( and we should abide by that) that it is not allowed to mention or provide links to any medicinal products that are not approved by Thailand O.YO, the body that authorize the use of all medicinal and pharmaceutical products and equipment...

[internationalism]

the fist mentioned price for those kits was around 400b.

Within days it went down to around 100b.

In europe's discount stores they are 75 cents, around 30b.

Some countries give them for free.

That might explain warning by health authorities. Good to see a representative from ministry of commerce among them, they always give that special twist to dr Anutin games

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health is maintaining its recommendation for people to seek COVID-19 screening using the less time consuming antigen test method at hospitals, as health authorities are still working on guidelines for self-tests at home. The Thai FDA says no FDA-approved test kits have received clearance for home use yet, urging the general public not to buy the ones being sold in online marketplaces.

Buy online and follow the instructions supplied in the test kit from the manufacturer.

You don't need guidelines from the health authorities.

[connda]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Surachoke said test kits are expected to start entering the market first at hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies from today. Customers are encouraged to purchase the kits from these venues to receive a correct explanation on the usage from the staff.

Wonder if they are just protecting a supplier's profit potential? That sort of protectionism isn't uncommon. The problem with Thailand is that they have used all of their good-faith through unending falsehoods often to protect the wealth and profits of connected.  And they keep getting caught.  Then double-down.
I'd purchase the online kits without a second thought as well as SARS-coV-2 antibody tests if I could find them. I don't believe the Thai FDA. Look at the role in preventing any vaccines other than AZ and Sinovac from entering Thailand.  Just one example.
Corporate interests and governments are way too cozy globally nowadays.  Governments actually used to regulate and protect consumers.  Now government protect corporate interests
So if I can't find tests locally I'll order online.
 

Edited July 17, 2021 by connda

[connda]

6 hours ago, internationalism said:

the fist mentioned price for those kits was around 400b.

Within days it went down to around 100b.

In europe's discount stores they are 75 cents, around 30b.

Some countries give them for free.

That might explain warning by health authorities. Good to see a representative from ministry of commerce among them, they always give that special twist to dr Anutin games

Thailand - always about providing a way for connected wealthy interests to harvest more wealth from the commoners while telling them porkies. 
Like you said.  Thailand will jack the price up three to ten times the price of the same products you can find in the West where they are giving them out for free. 
Always a profit motive over the interests of the population.

[connda]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Manufacturers are now in the process of submitting their product instructions for the general consumer for FDA review, with five companies expected to start rolling out their test kits for the general consumer this month.

Thai FDA to companies 1 though 5.

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

I wonder who is connected to whom?

[Dogmatix]

9 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

You are right. Of course the clowns running the circus don't want this as their numbers will go up exponentially. Not part of their tourism reopening plan.

The difference between the UK's 50,000 cases a day and Thailand's 10,000 a day is testing, testing, testing.  Everyone in the UK has these LFT (antigen) tests at home now.

 

A friend there told me his teenage son complained in the morning he had a terrible headache that had kept him awake most of the night.  Out with the LFT and guess what? Positive.  

Edited July 17, 2021 by Dogmatix

[Laughing Gravy]

5 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

The difference between the UK's 50,000 cases a day and Thailand's 10,000 a day is testing, testing, testing.  Everyone in the UK has these LFT (antigen) tests at home now.

 

A friend there told me his teenage son complained in the morning he had a terrible headache that had kept him awake most of the night.  Out with the LFT and guess what? Positive.  

I agree with you.

[impulse]

5 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

The difference between the UK's 50,000 cases a day and Thailand's 10,000 a day is testing, testing, testing.  Everyone in the UK has these LFT (antigen) tests at home now.

I'm asking because I don't know...  How does someone in the UK taking a test at home get counted in the statistics?  In Thailand, all tests are officiated.

 

I suspect the difference between 10K and 50K is the number of officiated tests as opposed to the availability of home testing.  Unless the theory is that all UK residents who test positive at home seek help.  But I suspect a lot of them just hunker down and send their loved ones out to get tea and food.

 

I can't see them counting home test results in Thailand until they confirm that a positive test won't doom the patient to a quarantine even if they're asymptomatic.  Looks like it's finally headed in that direction, but I wouldn't want to take that chance until it's confirmed through experience.

[impulse]

6 hours ago, connda said:

Thai FDA to companies 1 though 5.

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

"Bless you.  Go forth and harvest the wealth of the commoners."

I wonder who is connected to whom?

You're forgetting #6-20 which will be pumping out test kits as fast as they can make them, from rented apartments in some back sois.

 

Sometimes, there's a good reason to control the distribution networks.

 

[VocalNeal]

6 hours ago, connda said:

Wonder if they are just protecting a supplier's profit potential?

You wonder?