Singapore authorises four COVID-19 antigen rapid test self-use kits
11 June 2021 | News
HSA is working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to make these tests widely available through designated local retail pharmacies
Image credit- SD Biosensor
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in Singapore has granted interim authorisation for the following four antigen rapid test self-test kits:
|
Name of antigen rapid test self-test kit |
Name of distributor |
Authorisation date |
|
Abbott PanBioTM COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test |
Unison Collaborative Pte Ltd |
31 May 2021 |
|
Quidel QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test |
Quantum Technologies Global Pte Ltd |
2 June 2021 |
|
SD Biosensor SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Self-Test Nasal |
Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd |
9 June 2021 |
|
SD Biosensor Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test |
SPD Scientific Pte Ltd |
9 June 2021 |
These are antigen rapid tests (ARTs) that can be used by consumers (untrained lay-users) for self-testing to detect active SARS-CoV-2 infection in nasal swab samples. ARTs detect the viral proteins in the nasal swab samples of infected individuals and usually work best in the early stages of infection. In general, ARTs can achieve a sensitivity of about 80% for cases with higher viral loads and a specificity range of 97-100%.
If a positive result is received from the self-test, users should follow MOH’s guidelines on the next steps to take.
As these tests are meant for use by consumers, they can be bought by consumers without a doctor’s prescription. HSA is working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to make these tests widely available through designated local retail pharmacies from 16 June 2021 and will be made available at more retail locations progressively.
