Coronavirus test could produce results in 3 hours

Becton Dickinson, one of the leading providers of medical devices, is awaiting approval for a rapid diagnostic coronavirus test that could increase capacity by thousands per day.

The test could be used with the company's BD Max molecular diagnostic system, which is already in hundreds of different locations across the country, according to CEO Tom Polen. It will allow hospitals to do in-house testing and could produce results in as little as two to three hours.

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"We think that can make a big difference," Polen told FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
BDX	BECTON DICKINSON & CO.	230.48	-3.35	-1.43%

Polen also said while it typically takes a number of years to expand testing, the Federal Drug Administration is speeding up the approval process.

"What typically takes several years is taking several weeks -- things that we've never seen move it at this speed and are now moving," he said.

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Polen said the test works by taking a nasal pharyngeal swab, putting it into a transport media, then sending it to a hospital with a BD Max system.

"They close the door, press start and two to three hours later, the result comes out positive or negative -- very easy to run," he explained.

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