FDA releases COVID-19 update

Editor's Note

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 10 released a COVID-19 update announcing the following actions taken in its response to the pandemic:

• The FDA and National Institutes of Health have updated the CURE ID crowd-sourcing app to make it easier for healthcare providers to share their experiences treating COVID-19 patients who are unable to enroll in a clinical trial.
• The FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Illumina, Inc, for the first COVID-19 diagnostic test that uses next-generation genetic sequencing technology. This technology can determine the genetic sequence of a virus and help scientists understand if and how viruses mutate.
• To date, the FDA has authorized 131 tests under EUAs, including 111 molecular tests, 19 antibody tests, and 1 antigen test.