The Nova Scotia government has changed the brand of COVID-19 rapid tests it distributes due to the newer tests having a longer expiry date.
In a statement, Nova Scotia Health spokesperson Jennifer Lewandowski said the province has transitioned to the Flowflex COVID-19 rapid tests, as they have a longer expiry date than the previously used BTNX rapid tests.
Comments closedHealth Canada ignored critical warnings about a rapid-test supplier before approving its COVID-19 kits for distribution nationwide, Global News has found.
A year-long Global News investigation into federal procurement revealed that BTNX, a Toronto-area rapid-test supplier that buys the devices from China, deleted dozens of specimens, or samples, from a study it submitted to Health Canada in October 2020. Deleting the specimens increased the estimate of the rapid test’s ability to detect the virus.
BTNX, the Canadian rapid test supplier that won an estimated $2 billion in federal contracts, denied that Health Canada used BTNX’s edited study to evaluate the rapid test kit that the federal government later purchased.
A year-long investigation into federal procurement published by Global News on Thursday revealed that Toronto area-based BTNX deleted dozens of specimens, or samples, from a study it submitted to Health Canada. That evaluation showed how well the company’s test detected COVID-19.
Comments closedA rapid test importer landed an estimated $2 billion in federal contracts in 2021 and 2022, despite giving regulators incomplete data about its product’s accuracy, Global News has found.
A year-long investigation into federal procurement revealed that BTNX, a small rapid test supplier based outside Toronto, deleted dozens of specimens, or samples, from a study it submitted to Health Canada. That evaluation showed how well the company’s test detected COVID-19.
The deletions made BTNX’s test appear more reliable and sensitive than it really was, according to researchers Global News consulted.
Comments closed
