Abbott (Lake Forest, IL, USA) has been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for virtually guided at-home use of its BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card rapid test for detection of COVID-19 infection.

Abbott is bringing BinaxNOW, the most affordable and widely distributed rapid test into the home, where the result is delivered in minutes without the need to send it out for processing. The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test is a lateral flow immunoassay intended for the qualitative detection of nucleocapsid protein antigen from SARS-CoV-2. This test is authorized for prescription home use with self-collected observed direct anterior nasal (nares) swab samples from individuals aged 15 years or older who are suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider within the first seven days of symptom onset or adult collected nasal swab samples from individuals aged four years or older who are suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider within the first seven days of symptom onset.

To facilitate the delivery of the BinaxNOW test to the home and the guided collection and testing process, Abbott has partnered with digital health solutions provider eMed. A person can access the eMed service through Abbott's NAVICA app, which can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores. Once eligibility requirements are met, the test kit is shipped directly to the home user or a pick-up location, allowing a person to remain isolated until their status is known. Once a BinaxNOW test kit arrives at the home, the home user logs into the eMed portal for their guided testing session and can expect results in approximately 20 minutes. The eMed certified guide is available to answer questions throughout the testing process.

The eMed service offering costs USD 25 a test, which is the lowest currently available for at-home testing. The eMed offering could also remove some of the obstacles that individuals, governments and organizations face when seeking to provide or perform testing. These include mobility issues for people with disabilities or who may not have a reliable form of transportation, inconvenient testing windows for people who work non-traditional hours or have childcare or eldercare responsibilities, and discouragingly long lines at testing centers. Abbott and eMed expect to deliver and administer 30 million BinaxNOW at-home tests in the first quarter of 2021, with an additional 90 million in the second quarter.

"As the pandemic has evolved, the need for rapid testing has only grown. Unfortunately, we're still hearing that many people can't access testing as quickly as they need it," said Robert B. Ford, Abbott's president and chief executive officer. "That's why Abbott is bringing our rapid BinaxNOW test and NAVICA platform into homes through this partnership with eMed, which allows us to maintain the integrity of the testing process, get even closer to people who need testing and help provide the confidence we need to help get back to living with a bit more normalcy."

"FDA's authorization of Abbott's BinaxNOW test for home use is a breakthrough in the battle against COVID-19," said Dr. Patrice Harris, CEO of eMed. "I am proud to lead eMed's partnership with Abbott to democratize access to frequent, affordable, at-home testing with results in 15 minutes. Together we can help to mitigate the spread, save lives and support our return to school, work and play."

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