Last Updated on May 29, 2022 by The Health Master
By Chetana Belagere
BENGALURU: Scientists of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and doctors of Rangadore Hospital have come up with new cost-effective diagnostic kits for COVID-19.
Dr K N Sridhar, a senior doctor at the hospital, told Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Naryan in a video-conference that the kits are ready and will soon be sent to Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for their approvals.
Dr Sridhar told TNIE that the approvals for the kits, developed by his team and molecular biologists of the IISc, could come through in the “next two weeks.” Meanwhile, Narayan said the new kits could bring down the cost of tests from the existing Rs 6,000-8000 to as low as Rs 800.
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Dr Sridhar who had earlier developed similar test kits for H1N1 and dengue, said,”our own locally made, clinically approved and standardised testing kits will become handy as the procurement of reagents from foreign countries has become an issue in the face of coronavirus pandemic. He said the new kits will also have swabs.
“We have been getting throat swabs from Italy. With the ongoing lockdown, it has become difficult to procure them. So we have developed even the swabs,” he said.
