This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Coronavirus antibodies tests putting ‘public at risk'
The Royal College of Pathologists has warned that poor regulation of coronavirus antibodies tests could be putting the public at risk.
The college has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock urging for rules to be tightened on kits sold direct to consumers, saying that they can ‘mislead the public and put individuals at risk’.
Although many different types are available, no antibodies test has been officially approved for at-home use in the UK. It is also worth remembering that it is still not known whether having antibodies will protect people from a second infection.
Jo Martin, president of the Royal College of Pathologists, said: "Currently, if you buy a test on the internet or you buy it in certain boutiques or shops, we can't guarantee that the quality of that is of an appropriate standard. We can't guarantee that the result will be easy to interpret or that it will be not misleading."
An analysis of 41 antibodies tests sold to the public in the UK, seen by the BBC's Newsnight programme, found almost a third provided incomplete and inaccurate information.
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