COVID-19 test that produces results in 15 minutes approved in Europe

COVID-19 test that produces results in 15 minutes approved in Europe The move comes as Europe is seeing a resurgence of coronavirus cases. Joseph Guzman TheHill

A rapid coronavirus test that can deliver results in just 15 minutes has been cleared for use in Europe and is expected to hit the market next month. 

New Jersey-based diagnostics maker Becton Dickinson announced on Wednesday that its COVID-19 testing kit has met the requirements to be sold in countries that accept Europe’s CE marking. The marking shows a product meets European Union safety standards. 

The test is performed using the manufacturer’s cellphone-sized BD Veritor Plus System, which is already used to test for the flu and strep throat. The quick turnout time for test results means patients won’t have to wait for their test to be sent off to a lab. The tests will likely be used by emergency departments, general practitioners and pediatricians. 

“The addition of a truly portable, point-of-care test that can deliver results while the patient waits will be welcomed by health care providers and patients alike to help protect against additional waves of COVID-19,” Roland Goette, president of Becton Dickinson’s EMEA Region, said in a statement. 

Becton Dickinson says it expects the rapid tests to become commercially available at the end of October. The antigen tests have been available in the U.S. since July under an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

While the antigen tests are valuable for their ability to produce results much more quickly than polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, they are generally less accurate. 

A spokesperson for Becton Dickinson told Bloomberg that a clinical study shows the rapid test correctly identifies infections 93.5 percent of the time and negative results with 99.3 percent accuracy.