The Thai Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has warned people not to buy Covid-19 home test kits made in South Korea online.
It said that the administration has not yet approved them.
An online trader is offering such medical devices through his Facebook selling page. He claims that the Covid-19 home test kits have been approved in South Korea.
Furthermore, he says the kits have also been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), adding that they can show results in just 15 minutes.
However, the TDFA said Tuesday that its health officials had investigated the matter, finding that the seller’s claims were false.
The product made in South Korea has not been properly registered with the regulators, the TDFA stated.
The administration urged those who want to buy home test kits to check the list of the antigen test kits already approved by the agency on the website of Thailand’s Medical Device Control Division.
Moreover, it recommended the public seek advice from medical staff to learn the correct way to employ the kits.
The Thai Food and Drug Administration has approved four antigen test kits to date.
All are now available at clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies staffed by trained personnel to advise customers on how to use and dispose of the kits properly.
The antigen tests kits also include detailed instructions written in Thai for customers who want to skip the pharmacist consultation.
Each medical device also has a label that reads “for use by members of the public.”