Cabinet U-turns on COVID-19 antigen test kits’ WHO standards

[webfact]

 

The cabinet, with the agreement of the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, withdrew his instruction, issued a week ago, that the rapid antigen test kits (ATK), to be procured by the National Health Security Office (NHSO), must meet WHO standards, paving the way for the signing of a deal to buy Chinese-made kits.

 

Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul said that Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul explained to the cabinet that the 8.5 million ATKs, to be purchased by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization for the NHSO, are for home use and are not the professional use type, which has been approved by WHO.

 

He also said that WHO has, to date, not approved any brand of home use ATKs.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/cabinet-u-turns-on-covid-19-antigen-test-kits-who-standards/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-08-25

 

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[keith101]

More Chinese rubbish that i will never buy or use , just like Sinovac which only has a 13.8% capability of working against the Delta Variant according to China itself .

[Gottfrid]

Wonder how much money it was to be found in that U-turn?

[smedly]

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

ATKs, to be purchased by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization for the NHSO, are for home use and are not the professional use type, which has been approved by WHO.

this is a government purchase no matter what the use is - it mush meet a certain medical standard if to be used to detect the spread of infections 

 

The only standard this is meeting is creative colorful accounting with no budget accountibility

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

One of the issues that the Rural Doctors' Society raised is that the winning bid was 70 baht per kit, while the wholesale price for these kits is 35 baht otherwise. This article, along with one that appeared in another publication today, does not address this issue. Perhaps there is a good reason for it, and perhaps not.

 

One of the companies mentioned elsewhere as being involved in this purchase also sells CBD oil, gummies and cannabis face masks. It belongs to a large property development company. It does not appear to be a proxy for other interests, although it is difficult to determine full shareholdings of the importing entity with publicly available info.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Etaoin Shrdlu
typo

[Hayduke]

 

 

As always…..government decisions are  driven by the size and weight of the ubiquitous brown envelopes.

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

He also said that WHO has, to date, not approved any brand of home use ATKs.

World Health Organization approved antigen-based Rapid Diagnostic Tests

https://www.sarajevotimes.com/world-health-organization-approved-antigen-based-rapid-diagnostic-tests/

 

The roll-out of new, World Health Organization (WHO) approved antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests for the novel coronavirus in Africa will significantly boost testing capacity and marks a game-changer in the continent’s fight against COVID-19.

 

Many African countries have struggled to test in sufficient numbers to control the pandemic, with only 12 in the region reaching a key threshold of 10 tests per 10 000 people per week during the past month. They have also often fallen short when compared to other countries of a similar size in a different region. For example, Senegal has significantly boosted its testing capacity but is testing 14 times less than the Netherlands. Nigeria is testing 11 times less than Brazil.

 

“The widespread use of high-quality rapid testing in Africa can revolutionize the continent’s response to COVID-19,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “The new, antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests will help meet the huge testing needs in Africa.”

 

I guess that because it was approved by WHO for use in Africa this Government and its stooges believe the WHO has not approved any tests for use elsewhere or for even home use. There is no difference in using a rapid antigen test kit, what a bunch of tools these folks are.

Guess since its for home use it does not have to be accurate <deleted>.....

Edited August 25, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[brucegoniners]

Just great. Lousy tests. That should help the situation.

[Jimbo2014]

1 hour ago, keith101 said:

More Chinese rubbish that i will never buy or use , just like Sinovac which only has a 13.8% capability of working against the Delta Variant according to China itself .

Your not thinking like a Junta - think of the big big markups and hidden transactions.

[Scrotobike]

His one chance to something useful in his useless time at the head of the trough (oops I meant table)

He blew it

[Emdog]

From same company that sold them the bomb detectors? I guess not.

I'll stick with the old school test. Flip a coin should be as accurate... up the percentage by doing 3 our of 5 or more

[cyril sneer]

Probably even more chance of getting turned away at a hospital if showing both signs of sickness and a positive result on these 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The cabinet, with the agreement of the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, withdrew his instruction, issued a week ago, that the rapid antigen test kits (ATK), to be procured by the National Health Security Office (NHSO), must meet WHO standards, paving the way for the signing of a deal to buy Chinese-made kits

Uncle Xi will be happy.

[FNQ]

3 hours ago, keith101 said:

More Chinese rubbish that i will never buy or use , just like Sinovac which only has a 13.8% capability of working against the Delta Variant according to China itself .

Wu Flu test you kit.

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

Just great. Lousy tests. That should help the situation.

No, these ATK Test Kits will cloud the issue of Infection numbers even more.

Just what the Gov,t wants.

 

[seajae]

the govt & their lackies are making millions from covid with all the graft going on with vaccines, medication and test kits etc, as long as they are getting money the people dont matter, these kits have been shown to be no good as well as refused in western countries but Thailand is still getting them, have to wonder just how much they are being paid to do so, pm has done a huge turn around so it must be a good one

[internationalism]

I am still not sure which u-turn it is on the same issue and if they are going forward with deal or going back to square one.

All explanations are clear as mud, unless somebody want's to waste their nerves on following daily news. Looks like a lot of infighting for personal benefits.

Now, which anutin stole my pfizer? that's already almost 4 weeks since it's defrosting at the rancho. I can live without any tests, so far they were not needed. But might be difficult to live without good vax

Edited August 25, 2021 by internationalism

[placeholder]

11 hours ago, keith101 said:

More Chinese rubbish that i will never buy or use , just like Sinovac which only has a 13.8% capability of working against the Delta Variant according to China itself .

Nonsense. That figure was for after the first vaccination. According to that study after the 2nd vaccination it has an effectiveness rate against infection of 59%. Or are you only going to cherry pick from that study the results that confirm your prejudices?

[Puccini]

The WHO Emergency Use Listing for Rapid Antigen Tests has only two products, one manufactured by SD Biosensor, Inc, the other by Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Jena GmbH.

200922-eul-sars-cov2-product-list.pdf

 

However, that list is dated 2 October 2020 but I cannot find a later one.

 

Judging from a recent article in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, research with the antigen test of Roche showed a much lower accuracy than what the manufacturer claimed. Therefore, it does not seem to matter much whether Thailand buys the test kits from China or from another country.

 

Accuracy of the SARS-CoV-2 Roche/SD Biosensor rapid antigen test:

65.3% overall sensitivity

44.0% sensitivity in asymptomatic individuals