“Mr Dutton said the only approved tests for COVID-19in Australia...

“Mr Dutton said the only approved tests for COVID-19in Australia are laboratory based tests or tests that can be used by healthprofessionals at the point of care such as in hospitals or clinics.”

Myanalogy is that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats tohuman health, there have been regulations enacted, and these medication cannot bebought without a legitimate prescription. yet these antibiotics can save lives and cure diseaseswhen used correctly, and for the right patient.

My pointis that enacting heavy regulations on COVID-19 rapid tests might not necessarily makethem “incompetent” or “serve no real function to the society” (as some have argued).Regulations on the COVID-19 rapid tests are to prevent misuse and overuse imo,which could potentially result in inaccurate results and threat to the society if not administered correctly.

However,does it work? Is there a demand? Yes, I think so.

One counter argument couldbe then, “why are POC pregnancy and HIV POCand self-tests not prohibited”?

Imo for the prior test - thatis because the mere fact of knowing that oneself has fallen pregnant (or not)does not negatively affect the society, because pregnancy is not an infectious diseaseand if anything, it is a natural state of a woman’s body.

And for the later test - decadessince the first reported case of HIV/Aids, and after massive research fundspoured into HIV testing due to its high mortality rate, the “ban on the supply of HIV self-tests inAustralia was [finally] lifted in July 2014.”* They WERE prohibited. Butwould you say these tests, when they were first produced, served no real valueat all?

*Source: https://www.tga.gov.au/hiv-testing-australia