Once again, the US is behind on at-home rapid antigen tests–this time on combination tests that let you test for COVID, Influenza, and RSV all at once. These tests are widely available in Europe but have not been approved by the FDA. Rapid flu tests especially are potentially very useful in assigning appropriate treatment and reducing the overuse of antibiotics.
From Marginal Revolution.
Greater regulatory reciprocity is a public health no brainer.
2 comments:
Our regulatory agencies are broken, to the point they may almost be called evil, if they were doing it deliberately, rather than just stupidly.
There were good covid tests within weeks of the virus hitting the US, but due to inimical regulations, they were not allowed to be used.
We had an enormous difficulty accessing covid tests for months when the pandemic hit. Due to expense and shortages, we often could not test patients we believed had covid.
I have a great deal of sympathy for the folks who advocate burning the federal health agencies to the ground. They caused a lot of death. Government agencies have a life span, and many are decrepit geriatrics.
I agree that a policy change is in order, but the throw the baby out with the bathwater approach isn't wise. Despite their bureaucratic inertia, federal health agencies have also prevented vast amounts of death and medical fraud.
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