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Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

nature.com

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Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#21

Post by djsumdog »

I can understand the FDAs reluctance for home tests. They do want to make sure people aren't getting false negatives from degradation during transport. That seems like a legitimate concern.

But what I think is a greater concern, are civil rights. Several states are now giving the addresses, and sometimes names, of people who test positive for CoV-2 to law enforcement officials[0,1], and apparently health an human services used some legal gymnastics to claim that this somehow doesn't violate HIPPA[2].

You might be tempted to say "Well this situation is special," but before you do, imagine if we started doing contact tracing on people infected with HIV.

[0] https://tennesseelookout.com/2020/05/08/health-department-gi...

[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/most-states-sharing-corona...

[2] https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/covid-19-hipaa-and-f...

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#22

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

djsumdog wrote: post #21

I can understand the FDAs reluctance for home tests. They do want to make sure people aren't getting false negatives from degradation during transport. That seems like a legitimate concern. But what I think is a greater concern, are civil rights. Several states are now giving the addresses, and sometimes names, of people who test positive for CoV-2 to law enforcement officials[0,1], and apparently health an human ser…

We do contact tracing on people infected with HIV. It would be a public health disaster if we didn’t.

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#23

Post by so33 »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #11
lambdasquirrel wrote: post #2

It's really hard not to wonder if there is a political motivation to break the Federal government so that even the U.S. left would seek to devolve it.

This has been an explicit aim of the American right since the Reagan administration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast

> The nine most terrifying words in the English language are "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." - Ronald Reagan

> In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. - Ronald Reagan

https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#25

Post by watwut »

SpicyLemonZest wrote: post #18
AbrahamParangi wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've noticed that this is a position which many people will reflexively consider nuts. I think this may change over time and turn into a partisan issue. Probably one in which the left takes the wrong side, sadly.

I think communicating positions like this is a major unsolved political messaging issue. How do you say "this government agency is unreformable and we need to get rid of it" without implying that the government should completely ignore the agency's responsibilities? It'd make things a lot easier if there were a good way to phrase that.

You would need to at least hint on how what to do about that agency responsibilities. If you said that you want to abolish agency and not a single word about what to replace it with, people rightfully assume you plan to abolish agency.

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#26

Post by spockz »

djsumdog wrote: post #21

I can understand the FDAs reluctance for home tests. They do want to make sure people aren't getting false negatives from degradation during transport. That seems like a legitimate concern. But what I think is a greater concern, are civil rights. Several states are now giving the addresses, and sometimes names, of people who test positive for CoV-2 to law enforcement officials[0,1], and apparently health an human ser…

It is not just about degradation during transport. The samples need to be taken from deep in the throat and high up in the nasal cavity. This hurts quite badly. If the sample is taken from too low the chance on a false negative result are quite significant.

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#27

Post by mjevans »

I understand their concern; however I don't agree that the remedy mentioned in the article is the only path.

Knowing a sample is rendered invalid by mishandling or age might be accomplished by packaging an indicator with it which reacts when exposed to extreme temperatures and/or a chemical timer once packed.

The samples could also be delivered via drop-off to collection stations at hub facilities (E.G. medical clinics or hospitals) and stored in controlled environments for the rest of the process.

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#28

Post by kjaftaedi »

osamagirl69 wrote: post #20

Wasn't this the result of the project changing its scope to be outside of what the FDA authorized? They put out a press release [1] on May 14 which explained why they were being shutdown--the FDA authorization allowed them to collect samples but not to return the results. By starting to share the individual test results back to those who provided the samples the program was no longer operating within its authorizatio…

I agree with everything you've said, but I'd like to add a couple of counterpoints.

(1) The FDA is currently allowing some testing to continue despite the fact that they know the results are not fully accurate.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavi...

(2) It's unlikely the company was willingly not complying with the FDA and common sense here would dictate a formal warning first.

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#29

Post by unishark »

kjaftaedi wrote: post #28
osamagirl69 wrote: post #20

Wasn't this the result of the project changing its scope to be outside of what the FDA authorized? They put out a press release [1] on May 14 which explained why they were being shutdown--the FDA authorization allowed them to collect samples but not to return the results. By starting to share the individual test results back to those who provided the samples the program was no longer operating within its authorizatio…

I agree with everything you've said, but I'd like to add a couple of counterpoints. (1) The FDA is currently allowing some testing to continue despite the fact that they know the results are not fully accurate. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavi... (2) It's unlikely the company was willingly not complying with the FDA and common sense here would dictate a formal warning first.

The FDA only paused the study. They are expected to approve the home collection after analyzing the data.

Re: Scientists baffled by decision to stop a pioneering coronavirus testing project

#30

Post by lostlogin »

djsumdog wrote: post #21

I can understand the FDAs reluctance for home tests. They do want to make sure people aren't getting false negatives from degradation during transport. That seems like a legitimate concern. But what I think is a greater concern, are civil rights. Several states are now giving the addresses, and sometimes names, of people who test positive for CoV-2 to law enforcement officials[0,1], and apparently health an human ser…

> But what I think is a greater concern, are civil rights. Several states are now giving the addresses, and sometimes names, of people who test positive for CoV-2 to law enforcement officials[0,1], and apparently health an human services used some legal gymnastics to claim that this somehow doesn't violate HIPPA[2].

100,000 deaths in the US today. Presumably there is a point at which you would see it as ok to restrict movement, contact trace and infringement on your liberty. What point would that be?

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