Hi HC'ers
But, after reading Semi's post - enough does seem to be enough. I'm not sure what to do, but here is an idea.
Below I have drafted what is intended to be an email to a number of newspapers and online journos. I am seeking both your support and advice.
Is this a bad or reasonable idea to send something to the press?
If there is a concensus that something like this is supported, then I must say I am not a large holder in this company and wonder wether a coalition of more influential people / shareholders (?) or alternatively anyone who may have a connection to the press(?) may be better to send such an email.
I would also be keen to get your advice on what is written and how it is written - does it hit the mark or any suggested changes?
I also have a couple of '??' where I am not sure of the data (hoping Semi or some others may be able to plug that gap).
Anyway -any thoughts......and will go (or not!) from there.
EB
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To whom it may concern.
A small Australian company has produced one of the worlds most effective and efficient point of care test for diagnosing Covid 19. This test is produced by a small Australian company based out of Queensland. The company is called Anteotech.
I write to you and your paper not just on behalf of the company, but on behalf of Australians concerned and curious about why our regulatory authorities (on behalf of Government) continue to delay authorisation of a testing platform that inevitably could save peoples lives. In deference to this world class test, our authorities are readily authorising other tests that are far inferior and produced by multinationals.
This Australian test is called Eugeni. It is a test that has a 97% accuracy (comparable to existing PCR tests results), it provides a result in 15 minutes while the patient waits, and at a fraction of the cost compared to the current 'gold standard' PCR test. The PCR test we understand is $150 per test, and is currently being paid for by the Australian taxpayers and any visiting individual or family.
I write to you because over the past 2 months, while covid cases grow and new strains of covid emerge, there are ?? tests that have been approved in Australa and all of these are produced by large multinational overseas companies. All of these have been approved even though the sensitivity and performance of tall hese tests is below the Australian produced platform, with some of the approved tests have a sensitivity (detection) performance as low as ??%.
So, Why?- Why are these test being produced by big pharmaceutical companies being advanced, while a far superior product awaits in a queue for months?
- Why would anyone make a decision to fast-track these tests ahead of an Australian produced poduct with a far superior testing performance?
- Why would any regulatory body avoid fast-tracking a test that could potentially result in Government having less reliance on costly PCR testing?
- Why would we not instead want to fast-track a cheaper, more efficient, highly sensitive test, which provides each person being tested with a result in 15 minutes?
I don't know why, which is why I write to you.
As a journalist we are hoping you will see that there is a public interest here, with at least some questions to be asked. How can a homegrown, far superior test not have been fast-tracked in the middle of a pandemic. But instead has arguably been delayed, with preference given to far inferior tests made by big pharmaceutical companies from overseas.
Thank you for reading.
(20min delay)