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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider IATF 'open' to tackle lowering prices of COVID-19 tests

IATF 'open' to tackle lowering prices of COVID-19 tests

Published Jan 26, 2022 12:20 pm

Malacañang said that the government's pandemic task force is "open" to having another round of discussions in an attempt to bring down again the prices of coronavirus (COVID-19) tests.

(MB file photo)

Last December, the Department of Health (DOH) set price caps of P2,800 for plate-based and P2,450 for GeneXpert for public laboratories.

Meanwhile, testing at private laboratories was capped at P3,360 for plate-based and P2,940 for GeneXpert tests.

In an interview with CNN Philippines, Nograles said that the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) has already had two meetings regarding the rates of RT-PCR tests but they are open to having another round of discussions.

"The latest testing cap that was passed by the IATF was based on the second round of discussions. Whether or not there will be a third-round, it's really something that we are open to," he told "The Source" on Wednesday, January 26.

The acting Palace spokesman, however, is hopeful that RT-PCR rates can be brought down with the approval of self-administered COVID-19 test kits.

"Right now, meron ng (we have) self-administered testing kits and with improved technologies, perhaps, then, maybe, we might, hopefully, see a decrease in the cost of testing kits," Nograles said.

"Pag marami ng options ang tao, mag-a-adjust ang prices ng commodities (When people are given options, the prices of commodities will adjust)," he added.

Currently, the country is using three types of COVID-19 tests: the RT-PCR test, the antigen tests being administered by healthcare workers, and the home test kits.

Related Tags

Karlo Nograles covid-19 testing rate RT-PCR TEST IATF
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