NIH Creates Website for Home Covid Test Results
Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : November 25, 2022MakeMyTestCount.org is the recently launched website from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that provides anonymous reporting of Covid-19 test results from any brand of at-home test kits.
The newly launched website will help scientists get a clearer idea of how many people are testing positive and assess who may or may not require medical care which would usually alert the public health systems.
Accurate data collected from these tests may allow public health officials to modify their responses to address outbreaks in certain regions.
Advantages Of The Website
The MakeMyTestCount.org website is a made in collaboration between the NIH and CareEvolution, which is a healthcare technology company based in Michigan. Data collected by the website is completely anonymous and sent to public health systems that receive test results from labs and other healthcare institutions.
The users can provide general information such as their age and zip code and choose whether they want to share their race, ethnicity, sex, and other medical symptoms they may be suffering from.
The program directed at NIH and co-lead of the project Andrew Weitz said that privacy is very important for people and keeping the system anonymous was also important.
Some people raised concerns over the anonymity aspect stating that although data privacy is vital to protect users, it also limits the details that might be helpful to public health agencies.
The fact that it is impossible to assess whether 10 tests are 10 different people one person who’s taken 10 tests, is a problem.
Experts say that while the first version of the new initiative may not be perfect, it holds promise for the future of public health as new virus outbreaks are witnessed. It also has the potential to change how patients receive medical care in the future.
Testing for Covid remains a vital tool as the country heads into the holiday season with various kinds of respiratory viruses looming large. Although rapid Covid-19 tests are now widely used, the test results are often not reported.
Lab tests have a dedicated test results reporting system in place so increasing the reach was a great advancement in the process through the website. MakeMyTestCount.org was built on the RADx Tech system that was working on a standardized covid test reporting for at-home tests securely.
The initiative for the website was also supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) through the RADx Tech program.
Rapid Acceleration Of Diagnostics (RADx®
The RADx was launched on April 29, 2020, for speeding up the innovation in the development, commercialization, and implementation of technologies for testing Covid-19 infections. It has four programs that are built over the existing NIH Point-of-Care Technology Research Network.
It partners with federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and the U.S. Food and Drug Admninistration.
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
It is one of the 27 institutes and centers that are part of the NIH. It strives to improve health by leading the development of understanding diseases and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. This institution seeks to combine the physical and engineering sciences and other life sciences to advance medical research and health care.
NIBIB provides grants and training facilities and collaborations to support emerging technology research and developments.
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National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH is the nation’s primary federal biomedical research agency that comes under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It includes 27 Institutes and centers with the goal of improving national health through discovery and innovation, fostering resources that prevent diseases, expanding the biomedical knowledge base, and promoting high-level scientific conduct.
Reference:
🔵 National Institutes of Health (n.d) NIH establishes website for self-reporting COVID-19 test results Available [Online] at: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-establishes-website-self-reporting-covid-19-test-results
🔵 National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) (n.d) NIH establishes website for self-reporting COVID-19 test results Available [Online] at: https://www.nibib.nih.gov/news-events/newsroom/nih-establishes-website-self-reporting-covid-19-test-results
With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.