DOH: Gov’t to also review price cap for antigen test

MANILA, Philippines — The government is set to review the price cap for COVID-19 antigen tests aside from RT-PCR test kits, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday.

According to Vergeire, there is currently no shortage of testing kits in the country but the release of test results in laboratories was delayed due to the sudden increase in demand for COVID-19 testing.

“Ang ginagawa po ngayon ng gobyerno ay para magkaroon po ng price caps. We are now reviewing. Mayroon na tayong naunang price caps for our testing methodologies katulad ng RT-PCR. Ngayon isinasama na po natin sa pag-aaral din ang antigen test,” she said in a press briefing.

(The government is implementing price caps. We are now reviewing it. We have previously set a price cap for our testing methods like RT-PCR. Now, we are also studying the price cap for antigen tests.)

“Magpapalabas tayo ng in the coming weeks. Pinag-aaralan na na technical working group of DOH (Department of Health) and DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) itong bago na ika-cap sa presyo ng laboratory tests,” she added.

(We will release a price cap in the coming weeks. That is being studied by the technical working group of the DOH and DTI.)

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said the DOH is also working to further lower the price cap for RT-PCR tests.

Based on DOH Circular No. 2021-0374 dated August 26, 2021, the RT-PCR test is priced at P2,800 for plate-based and P2,450 for GeneXpert in public laboratories; P3,360 for plate-based and P2,940 for GeneXpert in private laboratories; and P1,000 for both plate-based and GeneXpert for home services.

READ: DOH lowers price cap for RT-PCR testing

Meanwhile, DOH’s Circular No. 2021-0323 dated August 6, 2021, has set a P960 price cap for rapid antigen testing, which covers the cost for the testing kit, operational cost, and 20 percent allowable mark-up.

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