COVID tests, is yours legit?
MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin's COVID-19 case count continues to decline. In the meantime, millions of fraudulent COVID tests are being sold in the United States.
Some experts feel COVID-19 testing could be the end to the pandemic, but if people aren't getting accurate results from an authorized test, that is a cause for concern. Luckily, there are some ways you can determine if what you buy is legit.
"You need a valid test, and you have to buy it from a reputable supplier," said Leo Friedman, COVID test expert.
That advice comes from a place of concern as millions of fraudulent COVID-19 tests are sold in pharmacies and online.
"There’s so many…so many tests being sold out there that are not FDA approved," said Friedman.
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Friedman, a COVID test expert from the test supply company PPE.us says there's only about a dozen FDA-approved manufacturers for COVID-19 tests, but he says scammers and online sellers are trying to profit from the high demand for testing.
"Whenever there is a shortage of anything, ‘entrepreneurs’ pop up, and suddenly, the need is filled," said Friedman.
Friedman says you should make sure what you're buying is FDA approved, and if a test costs less than $8 or $9, it's probably not valid.
"It’s a real major issue because you have no idea how they were stored," said Friedman. "You have no idea if they were left in the cold. It’s not FDA controlled or regulated."
Those unauthorized tests are coming from Korea,China and Europe. Expired tests represent another troubling issue when it comes to COVID-19 numbers, as the solution in a testing kit could provide inaccurate results.
As people rely on those results to determine next steps when it comes to COVID-19 infection, experts urge Wisconsinites to be cautious about what they're testing with.
"It breaks my heart to see the stuff out there because you’re risking your grandma’s health, your parent’s health," said Friedman.
Experts say another way to protect yourself is to always buy a test with a credit card. The FDA has a list of authorized tests online.
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