NEWS | PH Red Cross collaborates with UP Manila, launch saliva-based COVID-19 testing
By Rowz Fajardo
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) started administering its cheaper, faster, and easier saliva testing for COVID-19 last January 25 after the Department of Health (DOH) approved its use. The project was made possible through the collaboration of the PCR with the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) and University of Illinois (UI).
Process and accuracy
According to Senator Richard Gordon, PRC Chairman, the COVID-19 saliva testing is priced at 2,000 pesos, which is 1,800 pesos cheaper than swab testing.
Unlike in swab testing, the saliva test does not require specimen collectors to wear personal protective equipment and reagents. Saliva testing is also less invasive than swab tests where specimens are obtained by swabbing the nasopharyngeal area.
According to Gordon, individuals would only have to spit inside a sterile 1-millimeter vial that is sealed and documented for results. They must not eat, drink, gargle, smoke, or vape 30 minutes before the test.
Moreover, the processing time of the saliva test will only take around three to four hours compared to the 24 hours turnaround time of swab tests, according to the PRC.
As for the accuracy, like the nasopharyngeal swab tests, the saliva tests also undergo the Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, which is the gold standard for COVID-19 testing.
According to PRC lead researcher Michael L. Tee, the PCR’s initial saliva-based testing yielded a 98.23 percent accuracy compared with the pilot saliva-based test of the UI which yielded a 99.99 percent accuracy.
Furthermore, Biomedical Laboratories Chief Paulyn Ubial, also the former health chief, said that the discrepancy would be attributed to the sample size of the University, which tested 1.1 million students and faculty, while the PRC has only tested 1,080 saliva samples.
UP Manila’s Contribution
UPM Chancellor Carmencita Padilla lauded the approval of the new saliva testing for COVID-19 as a major contribution of the health sciences campus in combating the pandemic.
In the launching of the saliva test at the PRC Main Headquarters last January 25, Padilla narrated how the collaboration between the PRC, UI, and UPM was formed. She added that the team adopted the protocol developed by Dr. Diana Ranoa and the already operational Sansure systems in conducting the research.
The team conducted 1,000 parallel swab and saliva tests from volunteers and reported a 98 percent accuracy result to the COVID-19 laboratory expert panel, who recommended the approval of saliva as an alternative specimen for RT-PCR testing among PCR laboratories.
In her speech, Padilla acknowledged the UPM’s research infrastructure for the quick action in evaluating the proposal submitted by the team of scientists from the PRC, UP, and UI Urbana-Champaign, and for guiding the team in conducting the research that can pass scrutiny of health regulators.
Moreover, Padilla expressed her gratitude to the research team which was composed of Michael L. Tee, Paulyn Jean R. Ubial, Diana Rose E. Ranoa, Cherica A. Tee, Aedrian A. Abrilla, Lawrence John Paulo L. Trinidad, Charlotte M. Chiong, Regina P. Berba, Ryner Jose D. Carillo, Maria Cecilia F. Lim, and Leslie Michelle M. Dalmacio.
Availing the Saliva Test
Individuals can now avail of the test by booking an appointment at the PRC website. However, the saliva test is initially available only in the PRC’s laboratory at its headquarters in Mandaluyong City and its molecular laboratory in Port Area in Manila.
According to Gordon, all the molecular laboratories of the PRC in the country will offer the saliva test starting February 5.
The PRC also said that the government has yet to approve the saliva testing for individuals leaving the country.
