ICMR asks states to return rapid antibody test kits, says results not up to mark

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body for medical research in India, on Monday asked states to stop using rapid antibody blood test kits developed by Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics brought from China because of conflicting results.

Issuing a revised advisory to state governments, the ICMR said it has written the state governments to stop using Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics kits.

“Coronavirus test results from kits of Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech, Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics show 'wide variation in their sensitivity,” ICMR said.

The apex medical research body asked the states to return the test kits so that it can be to be sent back to the suppliers.

The ICMR had ordered more than half a million kits for testing for antibodies to coronavirus from China this month as a way to ramp up India's screening.

Meanwhile, the Union government today released a fact sheet on rapid antibody test kits procured from the Chinese forms Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech, Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics, news agency ANI reported.

The government said the ICMR hasn't made any payment whatsoever in respect to these supplies. Because of due process followed (not going for procurement with 100% advance amount), the Government of India doesn't stand to lose a single rupee.

The ICMR once again said that it advocates the swab RT-PCR test for the virus as it 'is the best way to test and identify the Covid positive case'.

Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health said India has sufficient amount of kits as far as RT PCR test is concerned. Not only sufficient amount of kits are available but we have also parallelly ensured geographical adequacy