New Delhi: A day after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has directed states to stop using 'faulty' rapid antibody testing kits, the apex health research organisation on Wednesday asked states to 'vigorously' continue RT-PCR tests as the principal diagnostic tests as only RT-PCR test detects virus at an early stage.
However, in a letter written by ICMR's additional director general GS Toteja to all chief secretaries of the states/UTs, the ICMR said, "All states/UTs have to follow the prescribed protocol for these tests and use it for the purposes for which it's meant."
"Only RT-PCR test conducted by using throat or nasal swab samples is the confirmatory test for diagnosis of COVID-19 infection and not rapid antibody tests," Toteja said in a letter written to all chief secretaries of the states/UTs.
"The letter has been written in response to the issues raised by a few states about rapid antibody tests. In its April 17 advisory, the ICMR had clearly laid down the scope, purpose and usage of the rapid antibody tests," Toteja said.
The ICMR has asked states to use antibody rapid tests as a tool for surveillance with respect to the formation of antibody in persons exposed to the virus.
"Globally also, the utility of this test is evolving and it is currently being used for detecting the formation of antibodies in individuals. Also, these test results are dependent on field conditions," it said.
However, to further assist the states, ICMR will continue to collect data from various states to assess the scope and extent of the utility of these rapid antibody tests in field conditions of our country and will keep advising them on a regular basis,
said Toteja.
Notably, taking note of the complaints of West Bengal and Rajasthan about inaccuracies in rapid kit results, the ICMR had on Tuesday asked states to stop using 'faulty' for the next two days.