Lacson urges DOH, FDA to speed up COVID-19 test kit release

Senator Panfilo Lacson urged the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to act with urgency to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

Lacson emphasized that while enhanced community quarantine measures are in place, they are not enough to flatten the COVID-19 curve, citing South Korea's success through mass testing.

He questioned the delay in releasing over 125,000 donated rapid test kits from South Korea and China, which arrived on March 21 and have been held up by Customs.

The senator criticized the FDA for refusing to issue provisional accreditation for these test kits, preventing their distribution for use by symptomatic or exposed individuals.

Lacson pointed out that a large number of test kits are still being held by Customs, despite President Duterte's directive to eliminate red tape in addressing the epidemic.

He proposed an amendment to the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act, which now ensures that health products for donation are not unnecessarily delayed and are automatically cleared if certified by regulatory agencies of countries with established regulations.

As of March 23, only approximately 1,500 Filipinos had been tested, a number Lacson believes is insufficient for a population of 107 million.

He believes that less restrictive regulations from the DOH would help prevent an uncontrollable spread of the virus.