Gonoshasthaya Kit: BSMMU to submit test report in days
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University is going to submit within a day or two the results of performance trial of the coronavirus antibody testing kit developed by Gonoshasthaya Kendra.
"We've already conducted the performance trial. Also, we've almost completed processing data and prepare the final report," BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Kanak Kanti Barua told UNB yesterday.
He said Prof Shahina Tabassum, head of the committee formed to conduct the performance study of the Covid-19 rapid testing kits developed by Gonoshasthaya, informed him that they would submit the report to the Directorate General of Drug Administration within a day or two.
He, however, said they were not going to make any report on the Gonoshasthaya's coronavirus-testing antigen kit as the organisation withdrew it on June 2.
Asked whether they would conduct the performance trial of antigen kit if the organisation resubmits samples with modification, the VC said, adding that they were unlikely to do that.
"They [Gonoshasthaya] submitted the kit on May 20 and withdrew it on June 2. We won't wait for an unlimited time."
According to Gonoshasthaya, its antibody kit will help identify whether people have been infected with coronavirus in the past and the presence of antibodies or resistance power in their bodies. It will also help collect plasma of those who have recovered.
In a press release on June 2, the organisation requested the BSMMU authorities to suspend the performance study of its coronavirus-testing antigen kit due to the detection of some inconsistencies in sample collection procedure.
The organisation added that it was upgrading the sample collection process.
On March 17, Gonoshasthaya announced that they developed a testing kit that could examine samples to detect Covid-19 within 15 minutes, but the kit was still not approved by the authorities concerned.
The DGDA on April 30 permitted Gonoshasthaya to get its kits tested. The DGDA informed Gonoshasthaya that the performance study of the kits could be done either at the BSMMU or IEDCR.