Diagnosis Testing
We believe that COVID testing should be more widely available, in more places, where people work, live and study. Today we are pleased to say that our widely used, credit card-sized, instrument-free BinaxNOW Rapid Test has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). ) for home use with a prescription through a virtually guided online service.
The BinaxNOW test, which provides results in minutes and detects the virus early in the disease, when people are most infectious, will be used with an online service, provided by eMed, that helps guide people through the testing process. It’s a significant advance from the other testing options where people collect their own samples without expert guidance and then package up the sample, mail it to a lab and wait a couple of days or more for results.
Just as important, our home testing will be affordable, accessible, and ensure confidence in the home testing process. Costing $25 through eMed (plus shipping), BinaxNOW is the lowest price available for an at-home COVID-19 testing service. And our test, in conjunction with the NOVICA app, provides proof of a valid test result through a digitally authenticated NOVICA pass and helps preserve the integrity of reports so public health officials get critical real-time data on the disease and how it is spreading during the pandemic. The new EUA comes just three months after our original launch of BinaxNOW and furthers our vision, to decentralize and democratize testing, by bringing testing to more people in more places to help slow the spread of the virus.
“As the pandemic has evolved, the need for rapid testing has only grown. Unfortunately, we are still hearing that many people are not able to access testing as quickly as they need it,” said Robert B. Ford, president and chief executive officer. Abbott executive. official. “That’s why Abbott is bringing our BinaxNOW rapid test and NOVICA platform into homes through this partnership with eMed, allowing us to maintain the integrity of the testing process, get even closer to the people who need testing, and help provide the confidence we need to help. return to live with a little more normality”.
Abbott and eMED expect to deliver and manage 30 million BinaxNOW tests in the first quarter of 2021, with an additional 90 million in the second quarter. Since launching BinaxNOW in August, Abbott has increased capacity to 50 million tests per month at its US facilities. Those tests are currently being distributed through the federal government. Abbott is expanding further so more people have access to testing.
Is that how it works
- A person can access the eMed service through Abbott’s NOVICA app, available in English and Spanish, which can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores.
- Once eligibility requirements are met, the test kit is shipped directly to the home user or to a collection location, allowing a person to remain in isolation until their status is known.
- When a BinaxNOW test kit arrives at home, the home user logs into the eMed portal for their guided test session. They can expect results in about 20 minutes through NOVICA, where a digital pass appears with a QR code that can be scanned by organizations that accept NOVICA.
- eMed’s certified guide is available to answer questions throughout the testing process to ensure a worry-free testing experience for the home user. eMed records the results and shares them with public health authorities so they can monitor and control the spread of the virus.
Adding to a robust portfolio
We have developed eight COVID-19 tests in the US that have received the US. Each of our test types—antigen, molecular, and serology—play a role in helping us weather the pandemic and give people greater confidence to return to school, work, and other things they love.
Expanding our BinaxNOW test for home use could help slow transmission of the virus and alleviate some testing burdens (such as lack of transportation and inconvenient testing times). By the end of 2020, we will have shipped over 300 million COVID-19 tests globally across all of our different platforms.
“We know that most people are still not completely comfortable with home testing from recent consumer research, so the eMed service is designed to provide a seamless and reliable experience,” said Chris Scoggins, Senior Vice President of Rapid Diagnostics at Abad. “The simplicity and convenience of home testing and the ability to display your results on the NOVICA app, along with vaccinations and other protective measures, will give us all a chance to have a semblance of normalcy and get back to our lives.”