Manufacturers of the most accurate home COVID-19 tests on the market say they were left out again from the Biden administration's latest round of free orders through COVIDTests.gov , which for a seventh time will rely on less sensitive "antigen" tests , which are generally the cheaper options available on drugstore shelves. Federal health officials have justified the millions they have spent on device manufacturers for the latest waves as critical to subsidizing U.
S. factories capable of producing tests ahead of another potential pandemic, during a time when demand has evaporated. Taxpayer dollars have flowed largely towards manufacturers of inexpensive rapid antigen tests like Access Bio in New Jersey and iHealth in California, instead of more accurate "molecular" alternatives that the Food and Drug Administration has also greenlighted.
A spokesperson for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which awarded the contracts, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. What are the most accurate home tests for COVID-19? The FDA currently has granted authorization to only four over-the-counter molecular test brands for COVID-19, which are the most accurate but also most expensive options: Lucira by Pfizer sells a single-use test that has the cheapest up-front cost, starting at $39.99, which detects both COVID-19 as well as influenza.
The FDA says results take around 30 minutes and the shelf life of each test lasts 18 months. Aptitude Medical Systems.
