Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Utilizing CRISPR, Scientists Develop Prototype For Coronavirus Test That Could Be As Quick, Easy As A Pregnancy One
The New York Times: With Crispr, A Possible Quick Test For The Coronavirus
A team of scientists has developed an experimental prototype for a fairly quick, cheap test to diagnose the coronavirus that gives results as simply as a pregnancy test does. The test is based on a gene-editing technology known as Crispr, and the researchers estimated that the materials for each test would cost about $6. “We’re excited that this could be a solution that people won’t have to rely on a sophisticated and expensive laboratory to run,” said Feng Zhang, a researcher at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass., and one of the pioneers of Crispr technology. (Zimmer, 5/5)
ABC News: Roche CEO Severin Schwan Says Producing New Antibody Test Part Of Busiest Time In His Career
Severin Schwan, the CEO of Swiss drugmaker Roche, says employees from across the company are coming together to contribute to meeting the aggressive manufacturing targets the company has promised after receiving emergency Food and Drug Administration approval for its COVID-19 antibody test on Sunday. "I mean, even in the packaging lines, we have our employees who come from all over the place, who raised their hand and who say ... 'Can I help out in the warehouse?'" Schwan said in an interview with ABC News. "The engagement is -- and the commitment and the passion is -- really enormous. I can't tell you how proud I am of the organization and how they excel during this difficult, unprecedented time." (Bolton, 5/5)
Boston Globe: Waltham’s PerkinElmer Gets Emergency Approval For COVID-19 Antibodies Test
PerkinElmer, the Waltham-based diagnostics maker, said Tuesday that a subsidiary has obtained an "emergency use authorization” from the Food and Drug Administration for a test that detects antibodies in the blood of people who fought off COVID-19. The test made by EUROIMMUN, a subsidiary based in Lubeck, Germany, is one of a dozen made by different companies that have won such approvals, according to the FDA website. (Saltzman, 5/5)
Cincinnati Enquirer: COVID-19: Who's At Fault When A Negative Test Is False? Maybe Nobody
When a Hyde Park woman was tested for COVID-19 and the test came back negative despite her symptoms, she was perplexed, disappointed and anxious. She was clearly sick and doctors ultimately decided to treat her. So who was at fault? Maybe nobody. That's because even a good test can end in a bad or faulty result. Improving test reliability is important, as Ohio, Kentucky and other states start to loosen restrictions on business and rely on tests to find people who need treatment. (Mitchell, 5/5)
Politico: Bubble Bursts On Cuomo’s Hope Of 'Immunity' Testing
As his state was being ravaged by the worst coronavirus outbreak in the country in early April, Gov. Andrew Cuomo offered a glimpse of hope to those looking for a quick restart of New York’s economy: An antibody test, developed in a state laboratory, may be able to confirm immunity for a vast number of New Yorkers. By last week, Cuomo and other officials had retreated from the approach, pointing instead to other metrics that may indicate the best way to avoid future waves of the virus. Cuomo is now describing the immunity idea as little more than a “theory.” (Gronewold and Young, 5/5)
WBUR: Florida Boosts COVID-19 Testing, Sending New-Case Rate To A Record Low
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says his state has hit a new record low in the rate of positive test results for COVID-19, as only around 2.5% of nearly 24,000 tests confirmed an infection on Monday. The test results were the most Florida has received in a single day. The governor celebrated the good news, which emerged one day after Florida relaxed shutdown restrictions on restaurants and retail stores in much of the state. (Chappell, 5/5)
