Need to know why you're sick?

Investment Analysis Clubs Macro Economic Trends and Risks
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I remember the old days. If you had a runny nose and cough, you had a cold. If you had a high fever and your bones hurt, you had the flu. Either way, you stayed in bed for a week and Mom brought you tea and chicken soup. Nobody needed to know exactly what was wrong.

Fast forward to 2022.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-authorizes-nonprescription-…

**FDA Authorizes Nonprescription Test for Covid-19, Flu and RSV**
**Labcorp test to be sold to consumers online and at retail will be covered by most insurers**
**By Brianna Abbott, The Wall Street Journal, May 16, 2022**

**The Food and Drug Administration authorized the first nonprescription test that can detect Covid-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.**

**The test, developed by Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, can be sold directly to consumers online or at retail. A person can collect a nasal-swab sample themselves before sending the sample to Labcorp for analysis. The test, called the Labcorp Seasonal Respiratory Virus RT-PCR DTC Test, searches for and amplifies the genetic materials of multiple viruses to figure out which one a person might be harboring.**

**The test kit costs $169 but comes at no upfront cost to those who meet clinical guidelines and have insurance, a Labcorp spokesperson said. ...** [end quote]

Wow, genetic testing at our fingertips without a prescription! That sure is sophisticated.

But…do we really need to know? We have Covid tests at home already. That’s important since we could take Paxlovid early in the course of Covid.

People who are sick enough to go to the hospital will be tested in the hospital. People who aren’t sick enough to go to the hospital will go back to bed, tea and chicken soup.

Wendy

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The test, developed by Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, can be sold directly to consumers online or at retail. A person can collect a nasal-swab sample themselves before sending the sample to Labcorp for analysis. The test, called the Labcorp Seasonal Respiratory Virus RT-PCR DTC Test, searches for and amplifies the genetic materials of multiple viruses to figure out which one a person might be harboring.

The test kit costs $169 but comes at no upfront cost to those who meet clinical guidelines and have insurance, a Labcorp spokesperson said.

A person may be fully recovered by the time the test results are available. If not, does it really matter that much if it’s a cold or flu? Is this test really worth $169? Given that insurance companies are infamous for denying coverage for necessary care, why would you expect them to cover this test kit?

Am I missing something here?

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Wow, genetic testing at our fingertips without a prescription! That sure is sophisticated.

But…do we really need to know?

Wendy,

Yes for another reason.

These advances in the doctor’s office will not only show up for viruses but bacteria as well. The corresponding technologies will be in tailoring antiviral and antibiotic drugs for the disease and patient that are very specific. Much safer than using broad based antibiotics in particular. These technologies will be deflationary and scale to fight diseases as diseases develop. The worker productivity gained will pay handsomely.

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Interesting, personally since I just caught a cold, apparently… Dod a covid test yesterday, negative, but sore throat, coughing, sneezing, no energy, well less than before at least…

Double boosted for covid, flu shot, too… Possibly allergies, but odds are a cold…

Been a long time without any illness, masking, avoiding people as best I can, used to hit the flea market every weekend, but not the last couple years, now…

Snuck in somehow…

KaChooo!

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<These advances in the doctor’s office will not only show up for viruses but bacteria as well. >

This specific test is only for viruses.
Wendy

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A person can collect a nasal-swab sample themselves before sending the sample to Labcorp for analysis.

Great. By the time you get the results back, you should either be feeling better or in the hospital. Useless!

IP,
who got sent off to school anyway if no fever or vomiting

1 Like
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Besides, I know I’m sick because of tree pollen. No need for a lot of paperwork to figure that out.

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Yes, I think we need to know.

These are different viruses, and the antivirals to treat them are different. You don’t want people taking unnecessary medications if you can avoid it: because viruses develop drug resistance as well. And covid is still killing people, we want to treat them properly.

The pandemic is still ongoing, and it’s important to learn as much as we can so what we know what to do when the next one hits. This means we need data. (Having said that, I think the horse has pretty much left the barn in this country. With luck, some other savvy countries are keeping accurate stats.)

And there’s the pragmatic view. When we were kids, we didn’t have the knowledge and tech to allow testing. New tools = new opportunities.

(By the by, I think I had RSV when I was in grade school, based on the symptoms, and it was no joke. I was one very sick puppy. Scientists are working on developing a vaccine even as we speak.)