The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday approved the use of test kits developed by Filipino scientists for coronavirus disease.
FDA issued a certificate of exemption for the detection kits developed by scientists from the University of the Philippines National Institute of Health (UPNIH) and funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
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The kit will be used for field testing coupled with gene sequencing at the Philippine Genome Center, according to DFA.
The test kits will help in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients suspected carrying the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
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“This will provide our laboratories with technological reinforcement to accommodate the growing number of patients to be tested and aid in early screening of positive cases. Furthermore, this will provide greater access to a less costly diagnostic procedure,” FDA Director General Rolando Enrique Domingo said in a statement.
On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte declared a state of public health emergency because of a growing number of confirmed cases in the country which now stands at 24.
