New Study Shows Effectiveness of Polyester Swabs & Saline Transportation for COVID-19 Testing, Improving Testing Efficiency &...
April 16 2020 - 6:53PM
Business Wire
- Widely available polyester swabs and saline transportation are
safe and reliable alternatives to foam swabs and viral transport
media
- New study builds on previously reported, less invasive
nasal-testing procedure that reduces exposure for health care
workers, preserves personal protective equipment and is better
tolerated by patients
- The FDA has updated its guidance based on this study to allow
polyester swabs and saline transport media to be used for COVID-19
testing
A study led by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) Research &
Development and The Everett Clinic, part of Optum, revealed
alternative swab materials and commonly available saline are
effective for COVID-19 testing, providing more options for sample
collection. These new findings, in conjunction with nasal sampling,
allow for greater flexibility in obtaining samples, reduce the risk
of infection to clinicians in collecting samples and can reduce the
need for clinicians to use protective equipment.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its guidance
based on the UnitedHealth Group research, allowing patients
nationwide to use polyester swabs instead of foam swabs and store
tested swab samples in saline rather than traditional viral
transport media. With ongoing challenges in obtaining test supplies
around the world, proving the effectiveness of alternative
materials introduces much-needed flexibility and increased capacity
into COVID-19 testing.
“While foam nasal swabs can be used effectively, they are not as
readily available as polyester swabs. Additionally, the supply of
traditional viral transport media is limited,” said study lead Dr.
Yuan-Po Tu, an infectious disease expert at The Everett Clinic,
part of Optum. “This study further refines UnitedHealth Group and
OptumCare research showing how a simple, patient-administered test
can effectively and efficiently test for COVID-19 infections.”
With medical supplies limited and COVID-19 test kits not yet
broadly available, expanding swab types and swab-transport
processes are crucial to providing more options in efforts to
detect COVID-19.
The traditional COVID-19 test regimen required a trained health
care worker to collect samples from deep inside the patient’s nasal
cavity using a nasopharyngeal swab. The process required the use of
personal protective equipment, was uncomfortable for the patient
and put unnecessary strain on the health care supply chain by
requiring a specialized swab and specialized viral transport media.
The patient-administered testing method is significantly less
invasive, allowing patients to swab the front part of the nostril
and mid-nose.
“We are leading several significant R&D projects on
COVID-19,” said Ken Ehlert, chief scientific officer of
UnitedHealth Group, parent company of Optum. “This research study
substantially improves COVID-19 testing capacity by demonstrating
that alternative materials and techniques can be used. Our second
study at The Everett Clinic builds on our previous research that
showed patients can successfully self-administer nasal swabs for
COVID-19 testing. We are grateful to be partnering with a broad
range of collaborators to advance community and national response
efforts against COVID-19.”
The study was conducted in
partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation.
“We’re committed to working with partners to identify the
simplest, most accessible solutions to obtaining an accurate
COVID-19 test result,” said Dan Wattendorf, director of Innovative
Technology Solutions, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Today’s
FDA approval of spun polyester swabs for self-administered sample
collection is another big step forward because these swabs can be
readily manufactured and scaled, helping to overcome current
shortages. The ultimate goal is to ensure that testing swabs will
be readily available for self-administered sample collection at
healthcare facilities, in workplaces and at home.”
About UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a
diversified health care company dedicated to helping people live
healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better
for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of
products and services through two distinct platforms:
UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits
services; and Optum, which provides information and
technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit
UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow
@UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.
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Eric Hausman 952-936-3963 Eric.Hausman@uhg.com
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
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