Push to regulate private covid-19 testing

Wednesday 20 May 2020

A politician has launched a drive to regulate private covid-19 testing facilities to ensure islanders don’t end up paying for tests which are “neither effective nor accurate”.

If States Members agree with proposals put forward by St. Lawrence representative Deputy Kirsten Morel, both antibody and PCR (diagnostic) testing will become subject to stringent rules guiding their operation.

The push comes after government officials warned against a new drive-through centre set up at Tamba Park.

From last week, Orchid Care Services have been offering the pinprick blood tests to islanders at a cost of £74.95 to adults, and £50 to frontline workers. 

The CTK Biotech tests, which have received approval for use in Australia, but not the UK, aim to tell islanders whether they have a covid-19 antibody within 30 minutes. 

Pictured: Deputy Kirsten Morel, who is asking States Members to back his plans to regulate private covid-19 testing.

While Orchid maintained its process was hygienic and that staff have been provided with PPE, less than 12 hours after the facility's launch, government officials warned islanders to be "extremely cautious before giving their blood in a setting that we cannot verify meets clinical standards for care”. 

Express asked the government seven days ago what entity, if any, would be responsible for overseeing such tests from a public health perspective, but it is still yet to receive a reply. The Care Commission confirmed that it does not fall under its remit.

Deputy Morel said that the Tamba facility situation shows why regulation is needed. 

“The fact that… government officials have felt the need to warn islanders away from using such facilities, but at the same time those officials did not feel empowered to immediately close down the unlicensed facilities, proves the need for a basic regulatory framework,” he wrote in a report explaining his proposals. 

Touching on the reported “lack of consistency in the effectiveness and safety of covid-19 test kits”, Deputy Morel went on to explain: “No matter how minor, the ‘pin prick’ testing that is being offered privately in Jersey still constitutes a clinical process,and so it is reasonable for Islanders to be able to undertake such procedures in a clean, safe and appropriate environment. Whether a drive-through situation is such an environment is one of the elements that the States Assembly could expect the Minister for Health and Social Services to regulate appropriately.”

Pictured: If politicians vote in favour of Deputy Morel's proposals, the Health Minister will have to bring forward regulatory plans by July.

This, he said, would provide reassurance to islanders, who, “given the enormous uncertainties created by the covid-19 crisis, do not need extra stress caused by the creation of unregulated testing”. 

If States Members agree with the motion, the Health Minister will have to bring forward regulation plans by 1 July.

The news comes as Jonathan Ruff, who owns Tamba Park, last night took to social media to silence critics of the new antibody testing facility. 

At the time of its launch, Orchid’s Managing Director told Express Mr Ruff did not have a financial interest in the centre. In his Facebook post, Mr Ruff admitted that he had invested in setting up the operation, although he isn’t a shareholder in Orchid Care Services. 

Using his Ruffs Kitchens charity Facebook page, which has more recently been used for PPE sales, he defended the cost of the tests, saying that the facility had cost around £80,000 to set up and that its running costs were in excess of £2,000 a day. 

Addressing more clinical queries, he went on to state that “all staff carrying out the tests are trained professionals who have gone through training with a registered nurse”. 

Describing his tests as “extremely accurate”, as they are in the “high 90’s”, Mr Ruff noted that they are not endorsed by WHO. 

However, he added: “…WHO are not the be all and end all of endorsements, personally I prefer test data and the Onsite test has been extensively tested by 3rd parties and has a great statistical record as has the company who makes them, on top of this Orchid did its own testing on people who have been confirmed to have had the virus by the hospital to ensure the rapid test comes back with the same result which it did 100% of the time. 

“Orchid does not need a lab or technicians to analyse the tests the science is in the test which shows the result within 10 minutes, the same as a pregnancy test.”

Orchid's Facebook page says it has so far conducted more than 450 antibody tests, finding traces of covid-19 in 52 individuals - 22 suspected positive cases, and 30 with antibodies.

Deputy Morel’s regulation proposals are scheduled for debate in the States Assembly on 16 June.

Pictured top: Antibody testing taking place at Orchid Care Services' new Tamba Park-based facility.