Dear colleagues,
We are totally shocked with the primer costs for SARS-CoV-2. I considered should be the opposite (cheaper than others) if considering diagnosis as important to help to deal with the pandemic situation.
Regularly a single primer cost around u$d 10-15 (dolars); Yesterday we have received a quotation were each primer, (for example foward primer aliquot, 50 nmol) from IDT has a cost in the USA of u$d 150, but the price of this primer in Argentina is u$d 472,5!!! (yes, is not a mistake an is a single primer).
Is that an attempt to avoid diagnosis?? Please comment the prices for this primer in your country. I guess in Argentina, we have the highest primer price worldwide, and it is worthy of a researchers complain.
Biobasic - The PCR related Covid19 biotechnological detection kit - https://www.biobasic.com/coronavirus-covid-19-primers
I think it is immoral. we need governments to regulate the public and private prices of the test. COVID-19 is a pandemic! https://www.elcomercio.com/tendencias/creador-pruebas-covid19-critica-precios.html
That is so unreasonable. Perhaps we can request for a grant or subsidy from the government?
you could find the sequence from CDC/WHO, then send the sequence info to the company to synthesize, the price will be like normal. Do not order the primer kit from the company, that is hugely expensive.
Dear Dr. Moré!
You raised an issue with great importance! I am a Hungarian living in Finland. In this country the public sector should be able to provide a free of charge diagnosis but actually there is no enough capacity available at hospitals so private agents have entered the markets and filled the gap with success with high profit rates.Below you find examples, private companies "Mehiläinen" and "Terveystalo":
1) Mehiläinen (2020). "the Price of a coronavirus test: is 249 EUR, and " The price of the further treatment consultation is EUR 38". In case one needs there is a need for an in-depth investigation to get a referral : "In this case, the customer is interviewed, the need for testing is assessed and a referral for the test is made if needed. The price of the assessment and referral is EUR 39.90", Available at:
https://www.mehilainen.fi/en/coronavirus/coronavirus-test#price
2) Terveystalo (2020). "CORONAVIRUS TESTING: Price of the nose and throat test 235 € .. The price for contacting the patient if the test result is positive to provide instructions for further treatment is 36 €.... Price of the antibody test 89 € - After the test you will receive a certificate of your results within 2-3 days by way of encrypted e-mail" >>>
"The total price of the test and certificate is 265 euros for a coronavirus nose and throat test and 119 euros for a coronavirus antibody test" Further details are available at: https://www.terveystalo.com/en/Services/Coronavirus-testing/
Yours sincerely, Bulcsu Szekely
Dear Bulcsu Szekely ,
Many thanks for your input. I guess there are many gaps on health systems, but unfortunately, those are filled with personal interests. The prices you showed are even higher than the ones claimed by the German kit producers: they produce a kit with a cost lower than 10€ sample, and considered almost inmoral to pricing a test in around 100€....
Our laboratory (Veterinary School, La Plata National University) is providing diagnosis support to the public system, and researching on the viral detection in animal samples. I guess both: public health systems and research should be granted for (at least) regular prices for kits and reactives.
So, in Finland: who is paying those prices because if the public system is overloaded? is the government? or the people with some symptom in the "wrong moment"? In any case the private laboratories profit is not in accordance with the global situation.
Regards
Dear Dr. Moré!
You are so right! In my opinion, the price the private companies charge is way too high. Almost a rip off. Still individual people must pay from their own pocket. Or apply for the employer to pay the test for them. Hope there could be more competition from all over Europe and beyond so that the prices could be pushed down. Yours sincerely, Bulcsu Szekely
Biobasic - The PCR related Covid19 biotechnological detection kit - https://www.biobasic.com/coronavirus-covid-19-primers
Here in Uruguay if the protocol indicates that you need a test, it is done free of charge. Tests are done by private or public institutions and basically the government assumes the costs. It is much cheaper than population lockdown or than having the population health mined! It should be taken into account that we still do not know the extent of long-term effects of SARS-CoV2 infection in symptomatic and even in asymptomatic, young people or children! I think this issue deserves a researchers campaign. You do not even need to cite humanitarian issues or human rights. You can claim even in the name of long-term economy!
I guess politics might be involved here to protect profits of private firms...
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