Wednesday, 8 May 2024

US company Everlywell claims its created first at-home coronavirus test

The country’s first widely available at-home coronavirus test is slated to hit the market next week, according to the company behind it.

The kit from Texas company Everlywell, which sells home lab tests for everything from cholesterol to STDs, can be bought — with a doctor’s prescription — on the firm’s website starting March 23.

People can order the $135 test after first answering questions about their basic health, symptoms and risk factors for the illness, according to the company website.

But because the tests requires a prescription, telemedicine doctors first review each person’s answers and make the call about whether they qualify.

For those that do, the kit comes with swab-based collection equipment, instructions and secure shipping materials, the company says. The samples collected are then sent to a lab certified for COVID-19 testing by the Food and Drug Administration.

The gadget is the first coronavirus test that’s being sold directly to shoppers, in part because of a recent federal policy change.

The tests were first limited to ones provided by the Centers for Disease Control and conducted only at state and local public health labs. But certified labs are now allowed to start developing and sending out tests for the virus.

The accuracy of Everlywell’s test has been validated by multiple peer-reviewed medical studies, a rep at the firm told techcrunch.com

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