17.53°C Vancouver

Sep 2, 2020 3:38 PM -

Health Canada reverses course, will review applications for COVID-19 home tests

Share On
health-canada-reverses-course-will-review-applications-for-covid-19-home-tests
A nurse gets a swab ready at a temporary COVID-19 test clinic in Montreal, on Friday, May 15, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Health Canada has reversed course on home test kits for COVID-19, saying it will now review applications for such devices.

In June, the department indicated it would not review such applications.

But Cole Davidson, a spokesman for Health Minister Patty Hajdu, says that was meant to apply to test kits for diagnosing cases of COVID-19.

Due to the evolution of the pandemic since then, he says Health Canada is now considering applications for at-home testing devices for screening purposes.

Davidson says Health Canada, which regulates the safety of all medical devices sold in the country, "is open to reviewing all testing solutions."

In a statement Tuesday, Hajdu says a Health Canada official "misspoke" in confirming earlier this week that applications for home testing kits would not be reviewed.

"Early diagnosis is critical to slowing and reducing the spread of COVID-19 in Canada," she said.

"We made emergency changes to allow faster access to COVID-19 tests in Canada, and Health Canada has already authorized a number of testing devices.

I want to be clear that Health Canada continues to work with hundreds of manufacturers that are using new and innovative technologies.

"The official in this case misspoke and Health Canada is open to reviewing all testing solutions as they become available and are proven effective."

Davidson said that "includes approaches that use self-collection and/or at-home test kits, in particular for screening purposes."

Latest news

many-participate-in-the-3x3-basketball-championship-in-richmond
BCAug 26, 2025

Many participate in the 3X3 Basketball championship in Richmond

This past weekend, the Misl Hoops annual basketball tournament was held in Richmond on Saturday. Many players had arrived at the Richmond Olympic Oval to participate in the tournament, and the players were seen participating in exciting 3X3 competitions. The tournament featured competitions in Under-16, Under-18, and Men's Open and all age categories for women. Along with the competitions, some fun and interesting activities were also arranged in the outdoor area of ​​the plaza and vendors had also set up some stalls. Mehtab Gill, one of the tournament organizers, said that the tourname
wrestling-championship-organized-to-celebrate-indias-independence-day-in-surrey
BCAug 26, 2025

Wrestling championship organized to celebrate India's Independence day in Surrey

A wrestling championship was organized to celebrate India's Independence Day at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey on Sunday. Like the previous years, many wrestlers participated in the competition on this occasion. The competition saw good wrestling skills in both the men's and women's categories. The wrestling matches started at around 8.30 in the morning. Sucha Mann, a renowned wrestling coach from the area, said that the competition was a hit like every year and the players put in good effort and impressed everyone. He said that national and international level wrestlers not only part
shots-fired-at-sidhu-travel-ltd-in-surrey
BCAug 25, 2025

Shots fired at Sidhu Travel Ltd. in Surrey

Police are investigating after shots were fired at the Sidhu Travel Ltd office in York Centre, Surrey, early Tuesday morning. The Connect FM team visited the scene shortly after noon and observed the entrance door shattered, with police markers placed near the storefront. At the scene, the glass of the entrance door to the Sidhu Travel office was seen shattered. Surrey Police confirmed that they had received information about an attempted break-in or mischief at the business at approximately 9.30 this morning. Police arrived at the scene and investigated, finding that shots had been fired a
leblanc-set-to-meet-lutnick-in-washington-after-ottawa-drops-some-tariffs
CanadaAug 25, 2025

LeBlanc set to meet Lutnick in Washington after Ottawa drops some tariffs

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is set to meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington this week after Ottawa announced it would be lifting some retaliatory tariffs. LeBlanc's office says he will travel to the United States capital on Tuesday. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last Friday that Canada will drop some retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products to match American tariff exemptions for goods covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement on trade, called CUSMA. Canada's counter-tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles will remain. LeBlanc has sai
BCAug 25, 2025

North Vancouver RCMP is investigating an early morning shooting at a residence in North Vancouver

On August 24, 2025, police were alerted by a homeowner in the 900 block of Tollcross Road who reported hearing a loud bang and subsequently discovering bullet holes. North Vancouver RCMP frontline officers attended the scene and located evidence indicating that shots had been fired at the residence. Witnesses reported hearing shots fired at approximately 4:00 a.m. The residence was occupied at the time, fortunately, no one was injured.“This is an unsettling incident that understandably causes concern in the community,” said Corporal Mansoor Sahak, Media Relations Officer for the North Vanc

Related News