Queensland testing company ‘frustrated’ by approval delays

The answer to Queensland’s testing woes may be a Brisbane-based company whose rapid Covid tests are used around the world. But its approval in Australia is being delayed.

A Queensland-based rapid antigen testing company said it is capable of producing millions of kits a year as the Palaszczuk government deflected responsibility for a supply shortfall.

Anteotech chief executive Derek Thomson said it was “quite frustrating” his 15-minute Covid-19 test was tied up in extended approval delays despite being widely used in Europe and given the current desperate need for a screening solution in Australia.

He told The Courier-Mail the company had lobbied the state government to replace the cumbersome PCR alternative for interstate arrivals but the “health department in Queensland hasn’t been supporters of rapid antigen testing”.

Health authorities were forced on Tuesday to scrap its day five testing requirement for recent arrivals into the state but Queenslanders were still waiting hours in long queues to be screened.

“We've always said that rapid testing has a place to be used to control the pandemic and now we’re seeing that play out,” Mr Thomson said.

Early in the year, then chief health officer Jeannette Young said PCR tests were preferred by health authorities targeting zero cases in the community based on the increased data available to trace the source of infections.

But Queensland had now entered a new phase of the health response when an individual’s infection status was the primary objective of testing.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said it was up to the TGA to approve the tests. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“We believe governments should use rapid tests instead of PCR tests for screening of people who are wanting to travel as they do in Europe,” the Anteotech boss said. “That's what happens in Europe — you can use rapid tests rather than a PCR test.”

“There’s too much stress on the PCR testing system in all Australian states and it’s really not necessary to go to the full extent of doing a PCR test when you’ve got rapid tests readily available now.”

Mr Thomson said the producer’s test, which was a nasal swab performed by a health professional rather than a take-home testing kit sold in pharmacies, was more than 97 per cent accurate.

But on Tuesday, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath rejected calls to approve the use of rapid tests for interstate arrivals as her NSW counterpart Brad Hazzard said the “tourist testing” enforced by Queensland was crippling the nation’s screening capacity.

She said it was up to the Commonwealth to cough up funds to provide the screening alternative while also blaming the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for delaying the approval of Anteotech.

“It would be very easy for us to say people can get a (rapid) test interstate before they arrive but we want to know if the Commonwealth is making sure there’s adequate supply across the country,” Ms D’Ath told reporters.

“There’s no point shifting from one type of test to another type of test if you’re not confident that test is going to be available.”

Anteotech chief executive Derek Thomson said the company was still awaiting approval by the TGA. Picture David Clark

Anteotech was initially approved for use in the United States in January and then Europe in April but Ms D’Ath said its approval in Australia was up to the federal medical watchdog.

“I’m sure the Commonwealth is talking to the TGA about approvals and timings for assessing those (rapid) tests,” she said.

“We absolutely want to see Queensland businesses be able to produce and provide them in Queensland but it has to be approved — it has to meet our standards and that is up to the TGA whether it does that or not.”

Queenslanders in quarantine over the festive season were notified of ten-day delays from a major chemist chain as the highly sought after test kits sold out across the state.

Pharmacy Guild Australia revealed on Tuesday 250,000 twin-packs of rapid antigen tests had been secured for Queensland in the new year, with kits expected to be distributed evenly to community pharmacies.

The 500,000 tests have been secured from the US and will be distributed to pharmacy wholesalers EBOS and API and expected to be on shelves by January 7.

The guild’s president, Professor Trent Twomey, said scattered shortages were expected until January 15 before the state was “awashed” with kits following a bolstering of supply.

“This unmet demand will be short lived, however it is very unfortunate that it’s occurred at such a crucial time during the festive season,” he said.

“Following this order, we expect scattered supply shortages until about January 15 but chemists will be awashed with testing kits by the end of January.”