Yale detective test to detect COVID-19 gets FDA emergency approval after a trial of NBA players – sparking hope it will become a ‘game-changer’ for the NFL season
- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday granted emergency use to the Yale School of Public Health’s detective test to detect COVID-19
- The breakthrough test comes after a trial on several NBA players and staff
- Test is expected to be a game-changer for the public and professional sports
- Testing for players and staff would be affordable and consistent
- It could also help fans keep themselves safe before and after attending events
- NFL officials are especially excited about testing as they approach the new season
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday authorized emergency use on the Yale School of Public Health’s detective test to detect COVID-19, following a test on the players and staff of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ), who has hoped it will be a game-changer for the NFL season.
SalivaDirect, the fifth FDA-approved detective test for the disease, does not require a swab as a collection device and uses spit from people suspected of having the coronavirus, the agency said.
The NBA and the players’ union combine to contribute more than $ 500,000 to the Yale investigation that led to the test.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday authorized emergency use on the Yale School of Public Health’s detective test to detect COVID-19, following a trial on National Basketball Association (NBA) players and staff
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn called the test ‘groundbreaking’ in its efficiency and essentially unaffected by crucial component shortages.
‘Many sports classes and larger organizations thought,’ OK, we’re shut down, so what can we do? We’ll have to test our population – players – all the time if we want to play again. How can we do that? “‘Nathan Grubaugh, assistant professor at Yale School of Public Health, said.
SalivaDirect is seen as an inexpensive, simpler and less invasive test method that does not require nucleic acid extraction and can use several easily accessible reagents.
The NBA used the test in a program featuring asymptomatic players, coaches and staff from various teams, after collaborating with Yale in June, the school said in a separate statement.
“We’ve simplified the test so that it only costs a few dollars for reagent, and we expect labs to only pay about $ 10 per sample,” Grubaugh said.
NBA players and staff were tested with both a SalivaDirect test and a nasal swab test before the league returned to play.
The test is expected to be a game-changer for the general public and professional sports, including the NFL (Kansas City Chiefs who practice on Friday)
Testing (file image) for players and team members would be an affordable and consistent event. It could also help fans keep themselves safe before and after attending events
When the results were compared, almost all agreed. The nasal swab test, developed by Rutgers, can cost as much as $ 150, ESPN said.
Results of the SalivaDirect test can be returned within 24 hours.
According to Yahoo News, the test is expected to become a game-changer for the general public and professional sports, including the NFL.
Testing for players and team members would be an affordable and consistent event.
It could also help fans keep themselves safe before and after attending events.
“There we go,” one NFL general manager told Yahoo News. ‘I hope this becomes the route the league goes!’
One of the goals of the research team was to eliminate the need for expensive saliva tubes for saliva.
A separate study found that the virus is stable in saliva for extended periods at warm temperatures, and that preservatives like special test tubes were not needed, Yale said.
The FDA said the test could reduce the risk for healthcare professionals of collecting samples because it itself is collected under the observation of a health care professional.
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