Antigen rapid diagnostic test kits subsidized or donated by the DOH and other government agencies to DOH-licensed public and private health facilities and clinical laboratories shall be provided at zero cost to individuals.
THE self-administered antigen kits should be sold at P350, as the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday has set the price cap for it based on DOH Circular No. 2021-0323-B dated Jan. 28 and released to the media.
The DOH lowered the price of an antigen rapid diagnostic test kit to P350 from the previous P500. The new price is inclusive of the P350 price ceiling for a test kit, P250 worth of operational cost, and P60 as 10-percent allowable mark-up.
The DOH said the amount is inclusive of the materials and accessories necessary for the procedure such as the appropriate swab, test kit cartridge, dropper and instruction leaflets, among others.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has so far approved only two brands of self-administered antigen test kits: the Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Self-test of Abbott Laboratories Philippines, and the SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test of Chinese company Labnovation Technologies Inc.
Apart from the self-administered antigen test kits, the DOH also adjusted the price cap for the antigen test kits used by laboratories as well as its testing service costs.
The price cap of antigen testing service conducted by medical personnel has been capped at P660 from P960.
“Antigen rapid diagnostic test kits subsidized or donated by the DOH and other government agencies to DOH-licensed public and private health facilities and clinical laboratories shall be provided at zero cost to individuals. Only items directly procured by DOH-licensed health facilities and clinical laboratories and not provided by DOH can be charged,” the DOH said in its circular.
Dubious test kits
“Licensed health facilities and clinical laboratories may have prices lower than the prescribed price cap for antigen rapid diagnostic testing, provided that quality of services is maintained,” it added.
According to the health department, the updated price caps will be effective starting Feb. 20.
The DOH earlier warned consumers against using dubious kits that make false claims, citing products purportedly approved by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the RITM does not approve test kits and only the FDA issues the approval for such products.
