Abbott coronavirus test missed 1/3 of COVID-19 cases: NYU researchers
Abbott Labs pushed back against the numbers
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A non-peer-reviewed paper from New York University researchers is casting doubt on the effectiveness of Abbott Labs coronavirus tests, and Abbott says it is "evaluating" the results.
"Based on our findings we could argue that the Abbott ID NOW detects samples with high viral load or possibly viable virus that could be of importance for transmission," the researchers concluded. "But, the fact that it misses positive samples on patients being admitted to the hospital with clinical picture of COVID19 makes this technology unacceptable in our clinical setting."
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Abbott has shipped out approximately 1.8 million rapid ID NOW tests to all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Abbott’s new lab COVID-19 antibody test will run on Abbott’s ARCHITECT i1000SR and i2000SR laboratory instruments. (Credit: Abbott Labs)
"Regardless of method of collection and sample type, Abbot ID NOW COVID-19 missed a third of the samples detected positive by Cepheid Xpert Xpress when using [nasopharyngeal] swabs in [viral transport medium] and over 48% when using dry nasal swabs," the researchers wrote referring to Cepheid Xpert Xpress, a rival test.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABT | ABBOTT LABORATORIES | 107.53 | +0.67 | +0.63% |
The paper's outcomes don't match Abbott's research, which finds the reported rate of false negatives is at 0.02 percent, an Abbott spokesperson told FOX Business.
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"Once again, a study has been conducted using ID NOW in a manner that it’s not intended to be used," the spokesperson said. "It’s unclear if the samples were tested correctly and we’re further evaluating these results."
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