Government asks Anvisa to evaluate Covid self-test release

The Ministry of Health requested that Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) analyze the use of the Covid self-test in Brazil.

This type of test is not authorized in the country because of a 2015 Anvisa resolution.

According to the note from the Ministry of Health, self-testing is an additional strategy to prevent and interrupt the chain of transmission of Covid-19, along with vaccination, the use of masks and social distancing.

A positive self-test result means that the test has detected the virus and the individual is very likely to have the infection, providing rapid isolation and reinforcement of prevention measures.

Self-tests can be performed at home or on the go, are easy to use and produce fast results. They can be used if individuals show symptoms of Covid-19 or have been exposed to the Sars-CoV-2 virus.

The folder also says that the self-test would help not to overload health services, which are already far beyond the limit of their service capacity.

However, the folder clarified that it already has a testing policy. The self-test should be used in a complementary way, as a screening strategy.

Anvisa said, in a note, that so far it has not registered in the system the receipt of the technical note from the Ministry of Health.

Like leaf showed, the executive president of CBDL (Brazilian Chamber of Laboratory Diagnosis), Carlos Gouvêa estimates that the industry installed in Brazil has the capacity to produce up to 10 million Covid self-tests per month.

Still according to the entity’s estimate, which claims to represent 70% of the diagnostic products market, the product should be cheaper than antigen tests, currently supplied in pharmacies and laboratories.

Scientific entities demanded this Tuesday (11) a broader testing policy and permission to test at home. The demand for tests soared with the advance of contamination at the turn of the year.

In a note released this Wednesday (12), Abramed (Brazilian Association of Diagnostic Medicine) warned of the risk of lack of necessary supplies in Covid-19 exams. The entity recommended prioritization of exams to patients “according to a severity scale”.

Testing in Brazil is centered on clinics, pharmacies and public services. Anvisa is waiting for the ministry to propose a public policy to then regulate the self-test.