Dutch biotechnology company, Inzek sold 1.5 million coronavirus tests. The company claimed that they were made in the Netherlands when in fact, they weren’t.
The tests are meant to diagnose coronavirus and deal with the antibodies in the blood, but according to the European Commission Outbreak Management team, there are no reliable tests for antibodies that act that quickly.
Already, the coronavirus tests have been sold in over 20 countries (including the Netherlands) despite their unreliability. Inzek advertises the tests as Dutch product. However, Trouw, states that they were actually Chinese. The manufacturer produces a similar test in China called Alltest.
The company claimed that the tests promised ‘very accurate results’ within a matter of 10 minutes.
“Major public health hazard”
However, two independent studies reveal that the tests are most likely misdiagnosing people. According to Trouw, Marien de Jonge, a researcher at Radboud University medical Centre, calls the 10-minute guarantee misleading. De Jong stated that “unreliable tests are a major public health hazard.”
Interestingly, in 2017, the EU passed a law stating that tests (such as Inzek’s) would only be permitted in the market after strict controls were carried out. This law is now outdated, and a new one will only enter into force in 2022.
From that time onwards, the tests will probably be deemed to fall under the strictest category.
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