Former FDA commissioner says coronavirus antibody tests are returning tons of false positives
Former Food and Drug Administration Scott Gottlieb said Monday that if he took a coronavirus antibody test to see if he had built up any protection against the virus, he'd receive his result and then take the test again two more times.
Gottlieb, during an appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box, said people shouldn't "put any stock" in a single antibody result, because the current tests on the market are churning out a high rate of false positives, which could lead people who don't have immunity to think they're safe. If those people repeat the tests, though, their chances of getting an accurate result increase.
Antibody tests aren't useless from Gottlieb's perspective, though. He believes they can help paint a clearer picture of the scale of the pandemic — that is, while they may not help dictate what an individual should do going forward, they can help scientists and doctors understand the larger trend. Gottlieb has said he believes the number of coronavirus cases in the United States is likely 10 to 20 times higher than what's been recorded, and that would likely include folks who have already recovered.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He also said he's fairly confident antibodies do point to some immunity, meaning it's unlikely people would get re-infected, or, if they do, they probably would experience a mild case since the body is more experienced at fighting the virus. The question, of course, is how long that immunity lasts.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
A Christmas Carol(ish): a 'wacky' show of 'festive chaos'
The Week Recommends Nick Mohammed's 'wacky' take on Dickens's classic tale
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
London Stock Exchange's mass exodus
The UK's stock market is shrinking at its fastest rate since 2010 with companies flocking to US and Europe
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Wispy pasta
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published