Quest Diagnostics launches direct-to-consumer COVID-19 antibody testing
Quest Diagnostics launched a direct-to-consumer service for COVID-19 antibody testing, the company announced in a press release.
Using QuestDirect, consumers can purchase the test online. However, each request is reviewed and approved by physicians, who also are available to discuss test results with patients via telehealth appointments.
Blood samples are drawn at Quest’s service centers, and test results are available within two days. PWNHealth, an independent national network of physicians is providing clinical oversight for QuestDirect services, including delivery of results and post-test telehealth support to patients.
Quest recently announced that it had begun performing serology testing, which is also available for provider-generated lab orders.
Quest’s antibody service uses tests developed for high-throughput lab environments. Currently, Quest is providing the service based on tests from Abbott and EUROIMMUN, a PerkinElmer company. Quest has completed independent validation studies on both tests. Quest expects to scale up testing from approximately 70,000 tests per day during the first week of the new service to approximately 150,000 tests a day by early May.
