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US FDA Remains Concerned About OTC Access To COVID-19 Tests After It Allows First 'At-Home' Use

 
• By Malcolm Spicer

OTC access to any test to diagnose COVID-19 without supervision by a health care professional isn't on the near-term horizon for potential launches in the US. In addition to diagnostic kits, digital apps available to directly to consumers for COVID-19 testing on their own would face a steep climb to approval.

Riga, Latvia - April 8 2020: Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 testing at home. COVID-19 Rapid test cassette for coronavirus. Man holding a rapid testing kits. Man reading a manual how to do a Test at home

Making available in the US "at-home" COVID-19 tests is getting as much attention lately as the virus itself, most recently with the announcement of an emergency use authorization of a serological test consumers can access through doctors' referrals.

Also recently, French pharma giant Sanofi revealed a partnership with a Silicon Valley startup on developing a

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More from Regulation

Over The Counter: Taking Real-World Evidence Seriously, With IQVIA Consumer Health’s Volker Spitzer

 
• By David Ridley

In part 2 of HBW Insight's interview, IQVIA Consumer Health's vice president of global research and development and real-world evidence services, Volker Spitzer, explains how to approach real world evidence so that regulators recognize its validity, in supporting Rx-to-OTC switch applications, for example.

US FDA Expands Surprise Foreign Inspections

 
• By Sue Sutter

Commissioner Martin Makary’s repeated characterization of foreign facilities as being subject to lower standards than domestic counterparts may have contributed to Rogers’ decision to retire as head of the recently formed Office of Inspections and Investigations.

EU Parliament Calls For Review Of Wastewater Directive’s Impact On Pharma Sector

 
• By David Ridley

At a recent plenary session the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the European Commission to “conduct a new and comprehensive assessment” of the impact of the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive on the pharmaceutical sector.

New Zealand Could Become First Country To Offer Gout Drug Allopurinol OTC

 
• By David Ridley

At the second attempt, New Zealand’s Medicines Classification Committee supported the Rx-to-OTC switch of allopurinol (100mg and 300mg) for people suffering from gout by specifically trained pharmacists.

More from Policy & Regulation

EU Parliament Calls For Review Of Wastewater Directive’s Impact On Pharma Sector

 
• By David Ridley

At a recent plenary session the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the European Commission to “conduct a new and comprehensive assessment” of the impact of the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive on the pharmaceutical sector.

New Zealand Could Become First Country To Offer Gout Drug Allopurinol OTC

 
• By David Ridley

At the second attempt, New Zealand’s Medicines Classification Committee supported the Rx-to-OTC switch of allopurinol (100mg and 300mg) for people suffering from gout by specifically trained pharmacists.

Global Alliance Urges UN General Assembly To Put Self-Care At Centre Of NCD Strategy

 
• By David Ridley

Including self-care in an upcoming UN General Assembly political declaration would be a “powerful signal that the global community is serious about non-communicable disease prevention and control,” argues the United for Self-Care Coalition, which includes the Global Self-Care Federation, International Self-Care Foundation and Imperial College London’s Self-Care Academic Research Unit.