SARASOTA (WSNN) – As more COVID-19 tests become available, a Suncoast doctor wants to remind people about false-negatives.
Former Dir. of Surgical Pathology at Stony Brook University, David B. Durand, M.D. is an anatomic and clinical pathologist with training in molecular biology, immunology, and virology.
According to an LA study, the fastest test being used to diagnose people infected with the coronavirus may be the least accurate test.
Research shows it has a 14.8 percent false-negative rate on the ID NOW test.
Dr. Durand says this means about one out of seven patients, when tested, still have the virus.
“One out of seven is way too high,” Dr. Durand said. “You need it to be well above 95 percent sensitivity, which means five percent or less false-negative rate to have a viable test.”
Dr. Durand says there other tests that have better sensitivity than the Abbott test. He says the Roche’s test and Cepheid’s test are above 95 percent sensitivity.
