THE UK Government must “urgently change course” in order to prevent serious harm resulting from the use of inaccurate Covid tests, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has said.
In an opinion piece published on January 12, the BMJ, one of the world's oldest and most highly respected medical journals, warns that Innova lateral flow tests are “not fit for purpose” and that people are being “misled” by the UK Government into believing they are.
Lateral flow tests are cheaper and faster than Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, but they are also significantly less accurate. While PCR tests need to be sent to a laboratory in order to return a result, lateral flow tests can be self-administered, or done with very little prior training.
The BMJ highlights how studies have shown that as many as 60% (with a confidence interval (CI) of 48% to 71%) of infected symptomless people went undetected using these lateral flow tests.
READ MORE: Top medical journal slams UK 'state corruption' and 'suppression of science'
Furthermore, 33% (CI 19% to 50%) of those with high viral loads who are at highest risk of infecting others returned a false negative when lateral flow tested.
These tests are used to enable visiting relatives in care homes, returning to work or staying in school despite known exposure to an infectious case, allow safe travel home for Christmas, and participation in sporting events, weddings and funerals.
However, the high rate of false negatives means the spread of the virus may be being made worse by the use of these tests.
The BMJ says: “We know of at least one confirmed outbreak caused when a healthcare worker with symptoms continued to work due to false reassurance from a negative Innova test result.”
“The Government,” the piece says, “continues to claim that the test detects 77% [of cases] - a figure from an unrealistic study using laboratory scientists and experienced nurses running tests on symptomatic people”.
It goes on: “Low test accuracy would be less dangerous if people being tested and the public at large received accurate information about the risks and implications of a false negative result. Instead they are being misled.”
To back up this claim, the BMJ cites letters to schools and parents which have “wrongly stated that the Innova tests were ‘as accurate in identifying a case as a PCR test’”.
It adds: “Results from government studies have been selectively reported and some have not been reported at all.”
The BMJ calls on the UK Government “to at least pause the rollout of rapid asymptomatic testing using the Innova test … until clearer messaging on the risks of negative results can be developed”.
The article was jointly penned by Jon Deeks from the Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Angela Raffle from the University of Bristol Population Health Sciences and UK National Screening Programmes, and Mike Gill, a former Regional Director of Public Health and former member of UK National Screening Committee.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock slammed for 'patronising mansplaining' of Covid testing to SNP MP
Responding to the piece, a UK Government spokesperson said: “14,800 Covid-19 carriers have already been detected using LFDs who would have otherwise not been identified. These individuals have subsequently been told to self-isolate, therefore preventing the onward transmission of the disease.
“Lateral flow devices (LFDs) used by the UK government go through a rigorous evaluation by the country’s leading scientists. With up to a third of individuals not displaying symptoms, broadening asymptomatic testing is essential. LFDs detect cases with high levels of virus, making them effective in finding individuals who are the most likely to transmit the disease, including those not showing symptoms.
“Every positive case detected and told to self-isolate is another transmission chain broken, helping stop the spread of the virus.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel