WASHINGTON — As people continue to look for at-home COVID tests, con artists are looking to cash-in. Some are out there selling illegal test kits.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for regulating the sale and use of medical products, and evaluating that the products are safe and effective.
Throughout the pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration has sent more than 200 warning letters to those marketing fake or misleading COVID products. Some of those included at-home test kits.
So how can you find out, if the test you're about to purchase is legitimate?
THE QUESTION:
Is there a way to find out if an at-home COVID test has been authorized for emergency use by the FDA?
THE SOURCES:
- FDA website- "In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs"
THE ANSWER:
Yes. The FDA has three searchable, public databases available on its website: one for molecular tests, antigen tests and serology (antibody) tests.
WHAT WE FOUND:
Since the beginning of COVID, the federal government has warned Americans of pandemic-related fraud and illegal copycats peddling "vaccines, tests, treatments, and protective equipment."
Our VERIFY researchers found that the FDA has public databases online, where you can look up and verify for yourself, all the molecular, antigen and serology (antibody) tests currently authorized for emergency use.
On January 18, the agency tweeted that so far they've given EUAs to 420 tests including 290 molecular, 44 antigen tests, and 87 antibody and other immune response tests.
Here are the COVID-19 tests that have received FDA's Emergency Use Authorization:
If you don’t see the name of a test listed there, don’t use it. It's as simple as that.
If you come across tests that you believe are being illegally sold online, you can report the product to the FDA.
