In its revised guidelines for the use of rapid antibody test kits, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) advised states against using kits procured from Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics. It also asked states to return kits procured from them in order for it to be sent back.
The medical body said in a release on April 27 that wide variations in results have been recorded on evaluation of kits from these two companies.
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The ICMR reiterated that the RT-PCR throat/nasal swab test is best-suited for diagnosis of COVID-19, adding that the rapid antibody test kits that have been procured by several states are only to be used for surveillance.
Last week, several states had raised the issue of variation in results shown by the rapid antibody test kits. Accordingly, the government on April 21 halted the use of these kits in India.
Union Health Minister on April 24 said the results of the test kits vary from place to place and 'can't be relied upon'.
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