Scientific entities sent a technical note to the Ministry of Health and Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) demanding a broader testing policy and permission to carry out the self-test in Brazil.
In the document “Brazil urgently needs a universal testing policy to contain Covid-19”, the organizations detail measures that need to be adopted by health and political authorities in order to massify access to tests in the public health network.
One of the claims is that Anvisa regularizes the use of the self-test in Brazil. Regarding the Ministry of Health, the request is that the folder incorporate the acquisition and distribution of tests, as well as guidance on how to use the kits.
The self-test is not authorized in Brazil because of an Anvisa resolution. The exam can be done at home and without the presence of a health professional.
Abrasco (Brazilian Association of Collective Health), Anesp (National Association of Specialists in Public Policy and Government Management) and the Covid-19 BR Observatory sign the document.
The associations point out that, in the current scenario of low testing, and given the unavailability of tests, it is possible that many symptomatic individuals are no longer practicing isolation properly. They point out that self-tests are cheaper and more practical.
“The challenge presented is that lay people can misinterpret test results, as health professionals are trained for this reading. The researchers argue, however, that it is possible to train the population”, he said in a note.
For entities, tests are necessary for the early detection of a positive case of Covid-19. Finding the virus is essential to contain its spread, by isolating positive cases and quarantining suspected cases.
The note indicates that today tests are scarce, expensive and inaccessible to a large part of the population, and it is only possible to test in health units, pharmacies and laboratories.
“A quick test in a pharmacy chain, for example, costs at least R$ 80, while the SUS, in many municipalities, is overloaded – and there are long lines and agglomerations, which can make testing environments conducive to contagion” , scored in note.
On Friday (7) Anvisa reported that the current rules of the regulatory agency only allow the registration of self-tests for diseases, such as Covid-19, if there is a public health policy and action strategy established by the Ministry of Health.
“Self-tests can be registered based on a public policy that provides for self-testing as a tool in the strategy to combat Covid-19”, he said in a note.
In a note on Monday (10), the Ministry of Health reported that, at the moment, the folder is studying the specifics of self-tests to evaluate the implementation of this type of exam in the country.
A few hours later, the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, said that he does not see a problem with the tests being acquired at the pharmacy and should recommend to Anvisa that the tests can be sold in these establishments.
However, this does not mean that a public policy will be implemented and the ministry will start offering this type of testing.
“If it is complex to have testing carried out by health professionals in primary care, imagine the country with 210 million [pessoas] with the self-test. Are we going to have proper traceability?”, asked the minister.
“Without having these answers, this promise of having this policy may not have the result we want. This does not mean that the tests cannot be sold at the pharmacy, as with medicines”, he added.
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