FDA authorizes first breath test to detect COVID-19 infection

FDA authorizes first breath test to detect COVID-19 infection
April 15, 2022, 5:12 pm

FDA Authorizes First Breath Test for COVID-19 Infection (File photo: Pixabay)

The Voice of America reoported, the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday (Apr 14) issued an emergency use authorization for what it said is the first device that can detect COVID-19 in breath samples.

The FDA said, the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage. It can be used in doctor's offices, hospitals and mobile testing sites. The test, which can provide results in less than three minutes, must be carried out under the supervision of a licensed health care provider.

Dr. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, called the device "yet another example of the rapid innovation occurring with diagnostic tests for COVID-19."

The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage It can be used in doctor's offices, hospitals and mobile testing sites (File photo: Pixabay)

The FDA said the device was 91.2% accurate at identifying positive test samples and 99.3% accurate at identifying negative test samples.

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The agency said: "InspectIR expects to be able to produce approximately 100 instruments per week, which can each be used to evaluate approximately 160 samples per day. At this level of production, testing capacity using the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is expected to increase by approximately 64,000 samples per month."

Source: voa

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