Pharvest From and engineer not a biology scientist. There is a...

Pharvest

From and engineer not a biology scientist. There is a lot of misguided information on hotcopper relating to PCR versus RAT. PCR has a myriad of applications and isnt looking at being consigned to the scrap heap. You use the term "utility" and I am thinking this relates to both turnaround time and cost. There has been rapid PCR testing systems available since we started with Covid and TGA suggest they are not overly favoured because of testing volume limitations. They are also relatively expensive when you are a paid per collection and per test.

In my recent post on another HC site I alluded to slow uptake by the private sector of point of care technologies.

"NSW and QLD public pathology have led the world in embracing POC testing. We need to be realistic, reform in pathology, if it compromises income, will take longer than it should. Many suggest the privates were slow to embrace POC because of sunk costs in outdated mega lab systems, payment models and logistics. POC complements labs and offers so much in rapid results and patient care. This is multiplied when considering the tyranny of Australian geography that sees samples transported over long distances to the mega labs. POC testing is securing far greater testing share despite early heavy resistance. Patient care must have primacy and highly accurate 15 minute turn around in the treating physicians hands is a huge leap over 1980s lab models."

The key relevance here is "compromises income" and "payment models". The privates have strongly supported PCR as gold standard but IMO it takes too long and costs a lot. In the case of RAT, the public authorities appear to be taking a lead as their finance structures are different. NSWHP did a large trial at Qudos arena to validate Rhinoswab with RAT validated on PCR. QLD public Pathology are forward thinking and would be working with the Pathology Quadstate members for similar efficient and effective advances. There needs to be simple collection, high accuracy, quick turnaround while being more economic to perform than the PCR.

So there is an opportunity for highly accurate RAT like ADO offer. Perhaps combined with collection techniques that are safer for staff. Lets keep hoping it happens soon.