For the High Authority for Health (HAS), it’s no. In a press release published on Monday, the public body decides against the use of self-tests, these rapid unit serological tests for the diagnosis of Covid-19 and which the patients carry out themselves from a drop of blood taken from the fingertip.
Members of the independent public authority consider that there is “uncertainty about the reliability of these tests” and that reading and interpreting the result is problematic. “Without support, the patient takes the risk of drawing the wrong conclusions,” write the sages.
On the other hand, HAS members recommend, under specific conditions, the use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and rapid diagnostic orientation tests (Trod), which complete the panel of unit tests. “RDTs and Trod find their place in epidemiological surveillance and diagnostic strategy,” said the press release.
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are medical laboratory tests that are performed in the laboratory. They target the same populations (nursing staff or collective accommodation establishments, symptomatic patients whose virological test has proved negative, etc.) as the automated tests (Elisa type) offered for several weeks by private laboratories.
Easier tests
Rapid diagnostic orientation tests could concern more health professionals. “Trods can be performed in more places and by any health professional (doctors, midwives, nurses, pharmacists, etc.), or even trained members of certain associations who could do them in a medical office, in pharmacies, at home… ”develops the HAS, which however restricts the field of targeted patients and specifies that these Trods cannot replace medical laboratory biology examinations, the only benchmark tests.
“If this recommendation concerning Trods were followed by the authorities, we would have to wait for the regulatory texts to apply. So we’re not there yet, explains Carine Wolf-Thal, president of the Order of Pharmacists. But if there is scientific and epidemiological interest in carrying out this test, pharmacists will participate like other health professionals. “
Remember that if these serological tests are of epidemiological interest (knowing how many people have been in contact with the virus and how many have developed antibodies), they do not make it possible to determine whether or not one is immunized against Covid-19.
