FDA seeks DOH opinion on use of at-home COVID-19 test kits

Health Usec. Eric Domingo, head of the Food and Drug Administration. INQUIRER.net file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday said it has sought the Department of Health’s (DOH) opinion on whether at-home COVID-19 test kits can be useful for the country’s testing strategies.

“Sumulat kami–ang FDA–sa Department of Health to ask kung ano ang kanilang opinyon dito at kung gagamitin ba nila, kung kakailanganin ba dito sa Pilipinas ang mga self-administered test kit,” FDA Director General Eric Domingo said in a televised briefing when asked if there’s a possibility for at-home COVID-19 tests to be used in the country.

(We at the FDA wrote to the Department of Health asking their opinion about this, if we need to use here in the Philippines the self-administered test kits.)

“Kasi ngayon sa mga testing strategy natin, lahat ay ginagawa po ng mga RT-PCR or antigen test, ito ang ginagamit ng DOH ngayon. Depende po yan, hinihintay lang po namin yung kasagutan ng Department of Health if they think it will be useful to our strategies,” he added.

(In our testing strategy right now, everything is being done through RT-PCR or antigen tests, these are what the DOH uses now. It depends on them, we’re just waiting for the DOH’s response if they think it will be useful to our strategies.)

Domingo noted the FDA has yet to approve any self-administered test or at-home COVID-19 test kits.

Countries like the U.S. and Singapore have approved the use of COVID-19 tests for home use to boost its testing amid the persisting pandemic.

JPV